Paradise, Massachusetts, police chief Jesse Stone confronts a towns darkest secrets in the shocking new novel from the New York Timesbe...
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Mar 14, 2009
Glee
rated it: 
This is latest in Jesse Stone series. I never read the Spenser books, maybe someday, because I like Parker's style, but he is doing them (the Jesse Stone books) in his sleep now, I think. This is quick easy read -- perfect for when you don't have energy or interest to invest in heavy read. The last couple of books I've read were much denser and harder to get through, so I just appreciated the simplicity. However, pretty empty calories after all is said and done.
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Mar 23, 2009
Ann
rated it: 
Night and Day read as quickly as expected with a Robert B Parker book. This is both a good thing and bad. The story, even told sparingly, is a compelling one; it was good to visit with Jesse again and it was over too soon.
In contract with the simplicity of the dialog, Jesse is a rather complex character, certainly a troubled one. You have to admire his desire to do the right thing; even though as usual, doing that puts his position as Police Chief in jeopardy.
If you had asked me at More...
In contract with the simplicity of the dialog, Jesse is a rather complex character, certainly a troubled one. You have to admire his desire to do the right thing; even though as usual, doing that puts his position as Police Chief in jeopardy.
If you had asked me at More...
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Feb 26, 2009
Glenn
rated it: 
This one is a Jesse Stone novel but with the same smart and crisp dialogue Parker is known for in the Spenser series. Sunny Randall (a 3rd PI series by Parker) makes an appearance, along with Susan Silverman, Spenser's love interest. It has a psychoanlaysis element, just like most Spenser novels. Good quick read - can't go wrong with a Parker PI novel.
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Aug 05, 2011
I prefer quality to quantity. Some mystery writers have either one or the other, rare ones have both. Unfortunately, based on this book, Robert B. Parker is more about quantity. He’s written over 50 books, but this is the first I’ve read. However, my problems with the story of this book is vastly outweighed by my problem with the actual writing. I'm rarely snobby when it comes to reading books, but this one drew an unprecedented number of eye rolls.
Parker's prose has absolutely no hook to it. N More...
Parker's prose has absolutely no hook to it. N More...
Nov 10, 2011
Deborah
rated it: 
Another big disappointment in someone I have enjoyed reading, who reached a point where he was phoning it in. This one was even more disappointing, because there was no actual mystery. I won't spoil this by saying more than that, but it was very puzzling, to say the least.
This Jesse Stone novel read more like a screenplay and I could visualize it as the script for the TV movie series without too many changes. It was also ridiculously short and took me one day to read, at lunch and on More...
This Jesse Stone novel read more like a screenplay and I could visualize it as the script for the TV movie series without too many changes. It was also ridiculously short and took me one day to read, at lunch and on More...
May 31, 2010
Alison
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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May 15, 2010
James
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This is an entry in Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series. A Peeping Tom is on the prowl in Paradise, and Jesse and his team must hunt him down before the perp graduates to more serious criminal activity. In the meantime, Jesse also has to deal with the case of a school principal who has decided that it would be a good idea to inspect the underwear of the young female students. And, on top of all of that, Jesse must sort out his love life, which continues to be a confusing mess.
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Sep 10, 2009
Amanda
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Jun 24, 2009
Genie
rated it:
For a small town, it seems that Paradise, Massachusetts has had more than its fair share of crime since Jesse Stone became the police chief. This time around, the trouble begins when a school principal, Betsy Ingersoll, does a panty check of female students in a locker room before a school dance. She claims that Mrs. Ingersoll claims that checking the “suitability” of the girls underwear was done to curb their tendencies toward bad behavior. Jesse and Officer Molly Crane must contend with ira
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May 06, 2009
LJ
rated it:
NIGHT AND DAY (Pol. Proc-Jesse Stone-Massachusetts-Cont) - G
Parker, Robert B. – 8th in Jesse Stone series
Putnam, 2009, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780399155413
First Sentence: Jesse Stone sat in his office at the Paradise police station, looking at the sign painted on the pebbled-glass window of his office door.
Police Chief Jesse Stone and his team are dealing with sex crimes. The high school principal, whose husband is the senior partner of Boston’s largest law f More...
Parker, Robert B. – 8th in Jesse Stone series
Putnam, 2009, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780399155413
First Sentence: Jesse Stone sat in his office at the Paradise police station, looking at the sign painted on the pebbled-glass window of his office door.
Police Chief Jesse Stone and his team are dealing with sex crimes. The high school principal, whose husband is the senior partner of Boston’s largest law f More...
Apr 16, 2009
KarenC
rated it:
Another quick read from Parker. The usual quick paced dialog, short sentences; reads like a TV script. I can always picture Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone with the terse dialog. Plot lines were amusing if you can get beyond the psychological damage being done to people involved. Jesse again demonstrates his paternal attitude toward the town's citizens, as well as his ability to handle situations with discretion and calm; protect the townsfold from themselves.
Jesse develops as a person and as a chara
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Dec 30, 2009
Randy
rated it:
Chief Jesse Stone of Paradise and his police force are working on three cases.
The most important is that of a peeping tom who bills himself as The Night Hawk. He escalates into entering the house and forcing the woman, at gun point, to disrobe and then takes pictures. He threatens them, but never touches the victims. He sends a pictur and letter to Jesse each time. Jesse is worried that he might move to more violent confrontations.
The second case is the school principal More...
The most important is that of a peeping tom who bills himself as The Night Hawk. He escalates into entering the house and forcing the woman, at gun point, to disrobe and then takes pictures. He threatens them, but never touches the victims. He sends a pictur and letter to Jesse each time. Jesse is worried that he might move to more violent confrontations.
The second case is the school principal More...
May 22, 2009
Joy
rated it:
This was the 8th and latest Jesse Stone novel. As police chief in a
small town close to Boston, Jesse has to deal with a questionable junior
high school principal (married to the managing partner of the biggest
law firm in the state who wants the allegations against his wife buried)
and a peeping tom. I love the way Parker brings his stories to a
satisfying conclusion, gives lots of insider info on subjects of which
I have little knowledge, develops his characters More...
small town close to Boston, Jesse has to deal with a questionable junior
high school principal (married to the managing partner of the biggest
law firm in the state who wants the allegations against his wife buried)
and a peeping tom. I love the way Parker brings his stories to a
satisfying conclusion, gives lots of insider info on subjects of which
I have little knowledge, develops his characters More...
Feb 06, 2010
bookczuk
rated it:
Bittersweet for me as Robert B Parker was just found dead at his desk in his home in Boston -- A heart attack did it, not some criminal. Another of my favorite authors gone to the big authors conclave in the sky. Here's his Obituary in the NYT.
Though this is about another set of characters, not the Spenser gang, in the past few novels, the lines between the groups have been blurred, and some secondary characters appear in both. Both Parker's mystery series have ongoing characters, More...
Though this is about another set of characters, not the Spenser gang, in the past few novels, the lines between the groups have been blurred, and some secondary characters appear in both. Both Parker's mystery series have ongoing characters, More...
Apr 09, 2010
Veach
rated it: 
With this book, Mr Parker falls off my "read everything they write" list. He's lost it. The snappy dialogue - dull; elusive mystery - lost; interesting situations his characters barely escape from - none. No only is the plot bad, and the dialogue repetitive and uninteresting, this book was also poorly edited! You once could be certain of never tripping over a Robert B. Parker phrase...this is no longer the case. In fact, at one crucial point, the pronoun-rich description fails so
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Mar 09, 2009
Sammy
rated it:
This book was pretty ghastly, even for a Jesse Stone book, which has been a long abused second fiddle to the Spenser series.
The writing was flat, only further emphasized by the horrible use of punctuation, such as putting periods where question marks should have been. So all the characters go through the entire story making anti-climatic statements instead of statements of surprise, or oddly enough for a police department, questions.
And the chauvinistic attitudes...ug More...
The writing was flat, only further emphasized by the horrible use of punctuation, such as putting periods where question marks should have been. So all the characters go through the entire story making anti-climatic statements instead of statements of surprise, or oddly enough for a police department, questions.
And the chauvinistic attitudes...ug More...
Apr 09, 2011
Eileen
rated it:
Another good one from Parker. Jesse Stone and his small police force are faced with a peeping Tom and other small quirky doings in Paradise, Mass. When the small things start to add up to a bigger situation the laconic Jesse, as usual, puts it all together and finds a solution. His drinking has not stopped but FINALLY he cuts the cord with his ex-wife - and damn about time.
This plot element is the only one that annoyed me. It was hard to believe a character like Jesse Stone would pu More...
This plot element is the only one that annoyed me. It was hard to believe a character like Jesse Stone would pu More...
Jul 14, 2011
Luis
rated it:
This is a nice easy read. Jesse Stone faces two challenges while at the same time trying to sort out his confusing love-life. The first challenge has to do with a Junior High School Principal, who --under the pretext of proper attire and behavior for her students-- examines their underwear in the locker room. Jesse wants to punish her, but her high-powered attorney husband prevents him. The second and more relevant challenge has to do with a tormented voyeur, dubbed the Nighthawk. This perpetra
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Feb 08, 2012
Kathy
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Feb 02, 2010
Barbara
rated it:
It is so nice to sit down and read a book just for the sheer pleasure sometimes. Robert Parker, who sadly died just a few weeks ago, had the knack of combining snappy dialog in his more than 50 mysteries. These books have varied with his popular detectives, Spenser, Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall. Each one is written with crisp, but clear humor. Parker was sparing with his words, but always managed to convey a clear and vivid picture of his characters and their surroundings. So while the reader
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Apr 16, 2009
Carol/Bonadie
rated it:
This book continues several ongoing threads in Jesse's life and starts a few new ones, including two or three investigations in and around Paradise, MA. Standard Parker fare -- wisecracking detective and his dedicated, energetic and also wisecracking co-workers, helpful and not-so-helpful witness, familiar names and faces, and of course, the "villain." This murder and mayhem book is light on murder, but what it lacked in body count it made up for in pace, plotting of the cases he's w
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Jan 17, 2010
Scotchneat
rated it:
Mr Parker - one of our most prolific writers.
What I like about him is his style - I can pick out one of his books in a pile of writing with no problem. Now the snob might say that it's "simple" and maybe even "pulp", but he has a staccato writing voice that really gets into a rhythm and it works well.
Plotwise, this is not an earth-shattering mystery that has you sitting on the edge of your seat, but the dialogue is snappy and the lead character (this More...
What I like about him is his style - I can pick out one of his books in a pile of writing with no problem. Now the snob might say that it's "simple" and maybe even "pulp", but he has a staccato writing voice that really gets into a rhythm and it works well.
Plotwise, this is not an earth-shattering mystery that has you sitting on the edge of your seat, but the dialogue is snappy and the lead character (this More...
Apr 29, 2009
Donna
rated it:
Not my favorite Jesse Stone novel. There is no murder involved. It starts with a high school principal who violates the civil rights of her students by taking the girls into the bathroom and checking that they are wearing what she deems to be appropriate underwear. This segues into the pursuit of a peeping Tom who has escalated into breaking and entering, then forcing his victims to strip so he can take pictures of them.
The story is more loosely woven than Parker's norm and the action l More...
The story is more loosely woven than Parker's norm and the action l More...
Jul 29, 2011
Ever since Spenser, Parker has been an author in search of a character. He fails with this one. Strong and silent is only interesting when there is more than a suggestion of complexity beneath the surface. The protagonist, Jessie, seems strong, silent and simple - but not interestingly so, because even the suggestion of complexity comes across as hackneyed. The story of a serial criminal who's crime amounts to nothing more than making women undress so he can take their photo, is pretty under
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Jun 26, 2011
Teresa
rated it:
After having such a good run of interesting, enjoyable reads I suppose it was inevitable that I hit a slump. This book was the shortest novel I have picked up in a long time and has taken me the longest time to read. I kept feeling I ought to like it but couldn't quite get myself to do so. All the ingredients were there, a small town mystery, several interesting and complex characters, short sharp and witty dialogue. Somehow it didn't quite all come together for me and I never had those 'just
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Mar 14, 2010
Emily
rated it:
Rated R - Solely for Language that Holly wouldn't like
This book was heart-warming.
Small-town cop that's SUCH a good guy, looks out for the little folks and follows the rules even under pressure
If an author can get you to love his character that's a small-town sheriff, that's saying something, right???
This was a mystery in which you didn't know what was going to happen, the author lays it all out in a neat little box, tied up with a pretty bow. The story is the characters, More...
This book was heart-warming.
Small-town cop that's SUCH a good guy, looks out for the little folks and follows the rules even under pressure
If an author can get you to love his character that's a small-town sheriff, that's saying something, right???
This was a mystery in which you didn't know what was going to happen, the author lays it all out in a neat little box, tied up with a pretty bow. The story is the characters, More...
Mar 08, 2010
Charles
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Sep 06, 2009
Andrea
rated it:
Just finished another Robert B. Parker novel. Jesse Stone is Chief of Police in the small New England town of Paradise. While Stone sorts through some of his own personal problems, he must also discern the mystery of why the junior high school principal performed a "panty check" on the girls attending the school dance, and the identity of the peeping Tom, who has apparently escalated his crime to include home invasions.
I like a mystery with humor and no grisly murder scenes More...
I like a mystery with humor and no grisly murder scenes More...
Aug 20, 2010
Ed
rated it:
I am sure going to miss Robert B. Parker. I know his books are short and I know some people dislike the lack of description but I appreciate how he can tell a great story through short bursts of dialogue. This is the second of his books, that in the last month, I've read in one sitting, more or less. I'd love to drag them out but I get so caught up, I can't put the damn book down.
This Jesse Stone story involves a peeping tom who calls himself The Night Hawk. During the course of More...
This Jesse Stone story involves a peeping tom who calls himself The Night Hawk. During the course of More...
Jan 16, 2012
Ulrich
rated it:
I first encountered this character through the Tom Selleck TV-movies. I really liked the laconic dialogue and Jesse Stone's devil-may-care demeanor.
This story certainly has that, but the serial criminal in the story is a bit lackluster.
Also, Parker seems to have some sort of weird angle on the sanctity of marriage or some such other moral high ground, as a certain type of marital social club is featured in this book and portrayed in the most negative light possible.
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This story certainly has that, but the serial criminal in the story is a bit lackluster.
Also, Parker seems to have some sort of weird angle on the sanctity of marriage or some such other moral high ground, as a certain type of marital social club is featured in this book and portrayed in the most negative light possible.
More...
