dwhite1174's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
matt4hire's review against another edition
5.0
A great, great addition to the Parker series. Getting to see Claire on her own is a definite treat, and Parker's utter ruthlessness reaches a few new heights in this one. Great stuff.
bundy23's review
4.0
Parker vs an offshoot of the Manson Family. After a couple of lackluster adventures Parker makes a triumphant return to form in this one.
ryno23's review
5.0
The preview left out an important part. Claire is tired of living in hotels like in Puerto Rico for months at a time while Parker does his jobs. So, she buys herself a house. It's hers. And she won't be forced out. For a week? A couple of days? One night?? Nope. So when the guys after Parker find a phone number, they connect Claire to Parker. So Parker won't be the only one doing the terrorizing. Another excellent book.
jeremyhornik's review against another edition
4.0
I don't have a Parker problem, YOU have a Parker problem.
Maybe the goriest. A heist. A couple of psychos louse things up. And it's very personal. Plus, an extended section on how the roof of an auditorium is made.
Maybe the goriest. A heist. A couple of psychos louse things up. And it's very personal. Plus, an extended section on how the roof of an auditorium is made.
msand3's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. The thirteenth Parker novel is a bit of a let-down after the strength of [b:The Sour Lemon Score|595808|The Sour Lemon Score (Parker, #12)|Richard Stark|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1301558067l/595808._SY75_.jpg|3848] and the previous Grofield novel, despite Charles Ardai's praise in the foreword. I've come to realize that I prefer the novels that don’t include Claire as an integral part of the plot. Parker is at his best when he's drifting from safehouse to temporary hotels under assumed names. This attempt to domesticate Parker (by Claire, but also by Stark) just isn't working for me -- and clearly it isn't working for Parker! As such, I can only hope that Stark (and Parker!) can move past this hang-up on Claire in the future novels.
ericwelch's review against another edition
3.0
This is the 13th in the series of Parker novels and I suspect Stark, a.k.a. Westlake was trying to humanize Parker a little by putting him into a relationship. That, of course, makes Parker’s life much more complicated and hazardous as Claire is put at risk from a heist that went well but brought with it some serious ramifications, i.e. guys who are killing off the participants.
It’s a solid page-turner for those of you who enjoy noir.
Interesting quote: "One of Parker's specialties was handling the people, which meant keeping them quiet, making sure none of them got killed, making sure none of them loused up the routine. The last was the most important, and the others would be sacrificed to it, if necessary, though a neat job was always better"
It’s a solid page-turner for those of you who enjoy noir.
Interesting quote: "One of Parker's specialties was handling the people, which meant keeping them quiet, making sure none of them got killed, making sure none of them loused up the routine. The last was the most important, and the others would be sacrificed to it, if necessary, though a neat job was always better"
vailynst's review against another edition
3.0
Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus
There's an intro at the start of the book. I liked most of it but I wish it didn't give away parts of what's going to happen in the later books. Not real spoilers but I've been having fun going into the books without reading the blurbs & seeing if my guess (based on the title) is a part of what happens.
Currently on Audible Plus
There's an intro at the start of the book. I liked most of it but I wish it didn't give away parts of what's going to happen in the later books. Not real spoilers but I've been having fun going into the books without reading the blurbs & seeing if my guess (based on the title) is a part of what happens.
theangrylawngnome's review
3.0
The Parker series by Donald Westlake writing as Richard Stark has always been my guiltiest of guilty pleasures. Yet this one was not only one I'd somehow missed, it was curiously flat somehow. Damn near a disappointment. By definition every Parker book is going to be as formulaic as Noh Theater, of course, yet I typically am so pulled along by the action I no more notice the formula than I do that I'm riding on rails when on a roller coaster. But this time I did.
Curiuosly [b:Slayground|447175|Slayground (Parker, #14)|Richard Stark|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1174855051s/447175.jpg|3854] may have been the first Parker novel I read, and it remains a favorite. I say "curiously" since in the excellent introduction from Charles Ardai, Ardai explains that this book,Slayground and Plunder Squad (which I've also not read) form a triad of similar themed books. Go figure.
Curiuosly [b:Slayground|447175|Slayground (Parker, #14)|Richard Stark|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1174855051s/447175.jpg|3854] may have been the first Parker novel I read, and it remains a favorite. I say "curiously" since in the excellent introduction from Charles Ardai, Ardai explains that this book,Slayground and Plunder Squad (which I've also not read) form a triad of similar themed books. Go figure.