Paper Doll (The Spenser Series Book 20)

Boston P I Spencer investigates the perfect murder. A blue blood of Boston, a woman was violently killed while taking a walk near her home. Her husband went to Spencer after the police failed to find the murderer. Spencer finally has to go investigate the womans past after he fails in Boston. He goes to her how town near South Carolina and found the people very secretive. There turns out to be two women with the same name. He discovered more secrets than meets the eye in his investigation, but finally solved the case. A very good book as I have found in reading the Spencer series. They are fast moving and in this book, Spencer finds more than he feels needs to be known by her husband, who hired but He must reveal what he found. As Spencer thought, the husband found It very painful to know and he denied that it could be true. He refused to accept what Spencer had found because of that pain. It was over and in the distant past so Spencer decided to let it lie.

PAPER DOLL was not my favorite but none the less, a good yarn in a great series. Spenser is hires to solve a murder the Boston PD just can't put enough resources into and the twists that follow are very good ones. Quirk is strong in this one and of course Silverman, witty as always, but a Spenser tale with just a little tiny bit of Hawk, can't get 5 stars. RECOMMENDED, read and enjoy this fine series.

Push a Pin into the perfection balloon. What is marriage ... what are styles of domesticity ... to a wealthy WASP, to a liberated couple like Spenser and Susan, to a good-guy gay cop, to a State Senator, to an aging wealthy southerner.The concluding scene in DOUBLE DEUCE, # 19 in the Spenser series, catered a surprising twist to Susan and Spenser's attempts at traditional homemaking. That close was as refreshing to the double S as a storm-brought rainbow. The choice carried in DD's final chapter surfaced in silent style into the thematic structure of PAPER DOLL, # 20 in the Spenser series.To Loudon Tripp seeking the private eye to find his wife's killer, Spenser answered the "small problem" of his having been dismissed from the police force:"I am trustworthy, loyal, and helpful, but I struggle with obedient."Who was Olivia Nelson?She was Loudon Tripp's murdered wife. Was she Harriet to Ozzie, or did she have a small problem.Spenser's gum shoe stuck in southern muck as he researched the past of a double identity with no indemnity. While thus stuck, the P.I. endured a dual whap to his knee caps by a fake constable. The gum was seared off by BAD-knight-Quirk to the rescue (YEA!), in a scene to write about to a homemaker or a troubleshooter, maybe even a troublemaker, whichever would apply, or lie right.In the early 90's what did we cook, what did we say, what did we wear, what books did we read. See here. Hear ye. (...)Readers have commented that they feel this series is anti-gay. One might not hold that opinion after reading PAPER DOLL, in which Lee Ferrell was introduced and featured with compassionate clarity, as a young gay cop working for Quirk. As would be expected, the repartee scenes between Ferrell and Spenser popped. The corn, no pron, was light, fresh, sensitive and free (relatively).In Alton, South Carolina, 1948 a child was born, bearing a tale and a trail of a "sister" of doom. Was there room at the Inn? Spenser stayed there, and learned the song, "one way ... or the other."The opening scene of chapter sixteen provided a collection of guffaws from the way Spenser dealt with an auto paused to tail his travels. If that passage doesn't do that, it's possible you've lost your Proof of Existence Papers. Would you then be a paper doll? I'd rather be me. Since the breakout of loveable dogs in DOUBLE DEUCE, Parker had been warmly elevating the dog's life, and I relish it that introduction to the series, but don't know if I'm ready to be one, if I have a choice!In addition to dogs, another Spenser "signature" was continued and repeated from DOUBLE DEUCE, that of how a character holds a whiskey glass. Note an example of that on page 237 of the mass market paperback. Might this signature be a continued tribute to Erin Macklin (who held her whiskey glass "with both hands")? Also note how Lee Ferrell held his glass in a few spots in this one. That, possibly more than Spenser's "adoption" of the gay cop, was telling of Ferrel's status, as it developed through an amber-filled glass.The conclusion of the murder in this one was a switch. For me, it worked, stretching contemplation space in the part of my brain which ruminates Parker's tweaking of what makes a good guy/gal good and a bad guy/gal bad.Parker gave a perfect clue to the murderer, but I didn't get it until the plot told me."The words hung in the room, drifting like the dust of ruination."That wasn't the clue, nor was it the preface to comeuppance for the killer. It was just a line I quite liked. As always, there were several.Holding books with both hands,Linda Shelnutt

Can't believe I missed reading this before, but very glad to have done so now! Spenser is wonderfully adroit and all characters are fleshed out as you'd expect. Surprise ending, and satisfying throughout. I recommend to all Parker fans, old and new.

Spenser is a super star among the array of fictional good guys. Parker was a consummate professional among fiction writers. That’s a winning combination. Usually in the Spenser series we hear more from Hawk than the mere acknowledgement of his existence included in this book. But I hardly missed him because Parker gave us a full cast of well-drawn characters to contemplate, sort and enjoy. The book is a bit dated, of course, but don’t let that stop you. It’s a good read.

A good read, though typical of the Spenser series by Robert B Parker. If you are a follower of the series, you won't be disappointed, though it was not among the most interesting of stories.

Spenser is hired by Loudon Tripp to look into the murder of his wife, Olivia Nelson after not being satisfied by the Boston PD's investigation. The detective assigned to case is Lee Farrell, marking his debut in the series. Spenser heads over to South Carolina where the late Ms. Nelson grew up only to end up with more questions than answers and end up in handcuffs. And if that isn't enough, his check bounces.Parker does a great job not only introducing Farrell but also getting the audience to care about him.There's not much to not like about this story, unless if you're not a fan of run-on sentences. But by this point in Parker's books, they are an acquired taste.I also like how they show the sign of the times, like the mention of how everyone is seemingly carrying 9mm automatics.By the time the starts nearing its climax, the revelations will take you by surprise.

Interesting book to read

On the other hand, all of the Spenser books are among the best. This has mystery, emotion, and intrigue -- plus humour, as always.

Otra novela de Robert B Parker, con su inconfundible estilo. “Paper doll” es una lectura rápida, llena de diálogos con el característico sentido del humor del autor. Lo que más me ha gustado de esta entrega es que el argumento está, en mi opinión, más elaborado, lo que le da un toque más “profesional” al desenlace de la novela. También me ha gustado que introduzca de una forma poco convencional a la comunidad gay, dándole un toque de simpatía que no era todavía del gusto del lector de los años 90, fecha en la que esta entrega fue escrita.

Another good read from the author. Light-hearted and yet quite intense at times. Can't take the book too seriously, but then I think that is what is really intended.

This book is well written, with interesting likable characters. It has a logical but not predictable plot. Leaves me wanting more.