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Someone to Watch Over Me

(Spenser #48)

Ace Atkins,

Robert B. Parker

4.17 · Rating details · 1,258 ratings · 190 reviews

In this next thriller in the New York Times-bestselling Parker series, Spenser and his new apprentice trace the murder of a young woman to an international crime ring that has been operating with impunity because of the powerful and highly connected billionaire at its helm.

Ten years ago, Spenser helped a teenage girl named Mattie Sullivan find her mother's killer and take ...more

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Hardcover, 400 pages

Published January 12th 2021 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

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Start your review of Someone to Watch Over Me (Spencer, #48)

Nov 09, 2020 Kemper rated it really liked it

Shelves: crime-mystery, arc, detectives, 2020, spenser

I received a free advance copy of this from NetGalley.

Spenser tries to bring down a rich pedophile who has been protected for years by his wealth and influence. This guy also has a partner in a woman who helps him lure the girls in, and they are often taken to a private island where other powerful men come to party.

That’s just such a disturbing and creepy premise that I’m glad this is a work of fiction and that nothing like that could happen in real life….

In the first Spenser book that Ace Atkin I received a free advance copy of this from NetGalley.

Spenser tries to bring down a rich pedophile who has been protected for years by his wealth and influence. This guy also has a partner in a woman who helps him lure the girls in, and they are often taken to a private island where other powerful men come to party.

That’s just such a disturbing and creepy premise that I’m glad this is a work of fiction and that nothing like that could happen in real life….

In the first Spenser book that Ace Atkins wrote the detective helped a fourteen-year-old girl named Mattie find her mother’s killer. Now Mattie is old enough to legally drink, and she’s been working for Spenser and training as a junior PI. It’s Mattie who is asked by a young girl from her neighborhood for help after she had an icky encounter with a rich pervert at an exclusive club. It soon becomes apparent that there’s some very twisted and rotten stuff going on, and that the guy behind it all will use all of his wealth and power to do anything possible to stop any of his victims from going public.

There are several interesting things going on in this one. The main plot was obviously inspired by a true story although Atkins changes things up so that just because we know what happened in real life doesn’t mean you know how this book will end. The idea of a guy like this with a private island and a stunning list of powerful friends who are involved would probably seem too over-the-top to work in a Spenser novel if it hadn’t happened. So you’ve got Spenser going up against people that you really want to see get kicked in the teeth which makes it satisfying when the detective starts rattling their cages.

Another satisfying thing is that we get a lot of Hawk in this one. Atkins has been judicious in his use of everybody’s favorite bad ass best friend character so that he could explore and expand the roles of other supporting players in recent books, and he’s done a great job of it. Still, it’s always comforting to know that Hawk is around, and it was nice to get a little insight into what Hawk does when he isn’t saving Spenser’s ass in Boston.

Bringing back Mattie was another nice touch. Spenser has taken in other people like his surrogate son Paul and his former PI apprentice Z. Sixkill so this follows a pattern. However, Mattie is an incredibly independent woman who doesn’t always see things the way Spenser does, and while the two have a real bond, she also isn’t afraid to start finding her own way versus just following in Spenser’s footsteps.

The one thing I wasn’t crazy about was the subplot of Spenser getting a new puppy after his dog Pearl has passed away. As the series has done in the past, Spenser gets another dog of the same exact breed and again names her Pearl. This always seemed like a cheat by Robert B. Parker to keep Spenser in a timeless limbo, but Atkins does explore why Spenser does this as a coping mechanism. It makes some sense, but at this point Spenser is essentially ageless so why not just make it the same Pearl vs. periodically killing one off and getting another one?

Aside from that minor nitpicking, I enjoyed this one from start to finish. Mattie’s part of the plot gave it the kind of freshness that Ace Atkins has been bringing to the series from the start while the stuff with Spenser and Hawk felt very old school, like some of the earliest RBP books. It was a nice combination that appealed to me as a long time Spenser fan while still feeling new and modern. ...more

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Nov 22, 2020 Chris C - A Midlife Wife rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, cop-fiction, reviews, mystery, crime, putnam

Cool PI story - very Epstein-ish.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since I can’t remember the last time I read a story by Robert Parker, reading this version, even though it’s number 48 in a series, was a brand new experience.

I have to say I was not intimidated in the least to be reading book 48 in the series. I had hoped that it would be a standalone to a degree and in fact, it pretty much was. While I’m sure the majority of the characters were in prior novels, I did not feel lost in the least.

The aut ...more

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Jan 20, 2021 Scott rated it it was amazing

Ace Atkins is back with his ninth “Spenser” novel following the untimely death of Robert B. Parker, the creator of the classic Boston-based private investigator extraordinaire. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 10 years since Parker passed away, let alone this is Atkins ninth outing with Spenser, Hawk, Susan, and introducing Pearl the third. It’s easy to see that Atkins has captured the unique qualities and ide synchronies of these classical characters, as well as the heart and moral code Ace Atkins is back with his ninth “Spenser” novel following the untimely death of Robert B. Parker, the creator of the classic Boston-based private investigator extraordinaire. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 10 years since Parker passed away, let alone this is Atkins ninth outing with Spenser, Hawk, Susan, and introducing Pearl the third. It’s easy to see that Atkins has captured the unique qualities and ide synchronies of these classical characters, as well as the heart and moral codes that drive each of them. This book is a glowing example of that success.

When the book begins, Spenser is presented a case from his college student protégé, Mattie Sullivan, who works part-time for him. Years previously when she was a teenager, Mattie sought Spenser’s help in trying to find her mother’s killer, and he delivered by taking down the local crime lord responsible for her death (in Atkins first Spenser novel “Lullaby”). Now Spenser serves as Mattie’s boss and investigator mentor.

However, the first case that Mattie brings to Spenser is a serious one. Fifteen-year-old Chloe Turner was sexually assaulted by an older man in one of Boston’s private clubs for the rich and powerful. Chloe ran out on her attacker and left behind her backpack, laptop, and some personal belongings. Now all she wants is to get her stuff back and forget everything that happened. But what Chloe doesn’t understand is that Maddie is driven to protect young girls from abuse and Spenser’s code of ethics refuses to let any abuser get away without being punished.

When Spenser and Maddie track down the identity of the abuser, they find out their target, Peter Steiner. is a billionaire hedge fund investment firm partner. He is rich, powerful, and has friends in high places that help protect him from being prosecuted for his nasty habits. Further investigation reveals that there are more victims, most of which have been threatened not to come forward. Then a quick trip to Florida reveals that Steiner’s under-age habits are beyond anything Spenser and Maddie imagined. The psycho has his own Jeffrey Epstein island that he uses to blackmail people in positions of authority and power, thereby building his position of power and protection.

When Spenser spooks Steiner, things get dangerous fast. By the time Spenser calls Hawk to assist, Steiner has investigated Spenser’s background and found one of his weak points. Before he knows it, Spenser finds himself face to face with one of his greatest enemies, the elusive Gray Man, a cold-blooded hit man who once shot Spenser and left him for dead. Now he’s showed up to finish the job…

There are so many good things to enjoy in this book. Atkins has successfully captured Parker’s unique storytelling voice. His narrative flow is natural and smooth. The rhythm of Spenser’s conversations with others is lyrical and sarcastically funny, and his relationships with Maddie, Hawk, and Susan are golden. What was once Parker’s classic playground has transcended into Atkin’s own artistic canvas. Atkins creates and develops new interesting plotlines while also re-exploring classic supporting characters with confidence and authenticity.

One of those particular strengths is finding ways to include different characters from Spenser’s rich history and pulling them back into the new stories. In this book, we had marvelous appearances from established characters like Susan, Hawk, Rita Fiore, and Quirk, as well as more recently introduced characters like Maddie and the formidable Captain Lorraine Glass. I especially like how Captain Glass serves as a nice counter-balances to Spenser’s sarcastic manners, but I am confident that she’s slowly warming up to him. Another strength is how Atkins amplifies the strength of the villains in this one. They are evil and worthy of the challenge Spenser faces. I also liked how the violence was mixed in just the right amounts and came across as realistic and respectful of Spenser’s age.

I only have one complaint. Just one. At 305 pages, the book was not long enough. It felt short and I wanted more. Another 50 – 80 pages would have been nice. Otherwise, Atkins delivers another worthy story in the annuals of Spenser, one of America’s classic fictional private investigators.

I have said this in previous reviews of Ace Atkins Spenser’s novels, but I am going to repeat myself. For me, Robert B. Parker is the king. He created Spenser and all that goes with him from Hawk to Susan to the secondary characters, nuances of each of the four seasons, particular types of foods, and locations in the greater Boston area. I will always bow down to him. But thanks to Atkin’s ability to capture the spirit of Spenser, I get to continue being a fanboy. I don’t have to say goodbye to a character that I love like family. Every year or so I can still look forward to a new outing with my private investigator hero, Spenser and his comrades, which I lovingly refer to as Spenser 2.0.

Thank you, Robert. Thank you, Ace. And thank you, Joan, for letting Spenser live on in this fan’s heart. It means the world to me to get to revisit my heartfelt friend and personal hero each year.
...more

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Sep 07, 2020 Monnie rated it it was amazing

Spenser is one of my all-time favorite book characters (and one of very few who translated well to the small screen, IMHO). When this author took over from the late Robert B. Parker, I was skeptical; but he's done an exemplary job of staying true to the original. My only "complaint," if you will, is that I've seen little of Spenser's cohort Hawk - another favorite character - and when he did appear, he didn't quite "sound" like himself. Well, folks, Hawk's back in this one - both in person and v Spenser is one of my all-time favorite book characters (and one of very few who translated well to the small screen, IMHO). When this author took over from the late Robert B. Parker, I was skeptical; but he's done an exemplary job of staying true to the original. My only "complaint," if you will, is that I've seen little of Spenser's cohort Hawk - another favorite character - and when he did appear, he didn't quite "sound" like himself. Well, folks, Hawk's back in this one - both in person and voice. Spenser is his usual self, although he did seem more inclined to respond in quotes from literary works than usual.

Several years ago, Spenser helped teenager Mattie Sullivan; since then, she's attached herself to Spenser to learn the investigation business. Now, one of her childhood friends left a backpack containing a laptop at a posh club when she ran out after being coerced into giving an elderly gentleman a "massage." Mattie promised to get it back and asks Spenser for advice on making that happen. When he goes to the club to ask for the return of the backpack, he gets a decidedly frosty response that convinces him there's far more to the story than meets the private eye.

On the home front, Spenser's long-time love, Susan, is trying to adapt to the third iteration of Pearl, their lovable dog (the second Pearl died recently). Spenser swears the two recent dogs are the original Pearl reincarnated, but Susan isn't quite ready to buy into that theory. She also doesn't quite buy into the need for Spenser to get involved with Mattie's case.

After a bit more investigation, Spenser and Mattie learn that the club is frequented by a billionaire who has properties and important contacts all over the world and an apparent taste for girls not yet old enough to drive a car. The guy turns out to be a hedge fund manager with at least one getaway outside U.S. jurisdiction, where he treats his friends to illicit meetups with smuggled-in girls, some recruited by his female accomplice. Needless to say, that rankles Spenser, who asks Hawk to help him get the girls out safely and put the Jeffrey Epstein wannabe behind bars. But soon enough, Spenser learns it may not be a walk in the park; the couple they're after are in cahoots with the so-called Gray Man, a hired assassin who nearly killed Spenser not long ago - and Spenser isn't exactly itching for a rematch.

All in all, it's another fast-paced, easy-to-read adventure that should satisfy most Spenser enthusiasts. For sure I'm happy, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read an advance copy.
...more

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Feb 08, 2021 MicheleReader rated it liked it · review of another edition

It’s always risky to jump into a long-running series for the first time. But with a little checking on the characters’ backstories, I was able to enjoy Someone to Watch Over Me by Ace Atkins, the legacy author for Robert B. Parker and his Spenser series. I don't have the issue of comparing the "new" author from the series creator.

Most people checking into this book know the characters far better than I do so I’ll simply say I found Spenser, Hawk, Susan and the others enjoyable characters. Lots o ...more

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Dec 13, 2020 Lou Jacobs rated it really liked it

Iconic Boston Private Eye: Spenser returns to kick butt across Boston, Miami and the Bahamas with the aid of his best friend and ally, the ever dangerous and stylish Hawk. They are charged with taking down the villainous Peter Steiner and his henchwoman and accomplice, Poppy Palmer. In a gritty hard-boiled fashion, Ace Atkins provides a pitch perfect drama, as they attempt to make order out of chaos and injustice. Mattie Sullivan works for Spenser as a
part-time assistant and sleuth-in-training w Iconic Boston Private Eye: Spenser returns to kick butt across Boston, Miami and the Bahamas with the aid of his best friend and ally, the ever dangerous and stylish Hawk. They are charged with taking down the villainous Peter Steiner and his henchwoman and accomplice, Poppy Palmer. In a gritty hard-boiled fashion, Ace Atkins provides a pitch perfect drama, as they attempt to make order out of chaos and injustice. Mattie Sullivan works for Spenser as a
part-time assistant and sleuth-in-training while attending college. She’s twenty-two, pretty, long-legged, with long red hair kept in a pony tail .. and an obvious Irish face filled with freckles. She has stayed in Spenser’s orbit since as a teenager he helped bring her mother’s killer to justice.
Some of Mattie’s friends have brought to her attention the presence of a potential child molester. It starts out with a friend’s sister, Chloe Turner, (age 14) who was recruited to provide a “massage” to a wealthy gentleman at the Blackstone Club (posh Boston private Men ’s Club) for five-hundred dollars. Tracing back to her recruitment by another teenager, Debbie Delgado…. who received two-hundred for every girl she could recruit. All with the guise of looking for models with fresh faces. And, the massage and “extras” would be given to rich and powerful men, who could “change your life.” Mattie’s involvement has led to the pro-bono investigation with Spencer, Hawk and all of their contacts. Spenser uncovers the common link with the six victims they know about is Steiner and Palmer. Some consider them merely a dynamic Boston power couple. Steiner owns his own investment firm that specializes in working with a select clientele of the rich, famous and politically connected . While the slick, thin and muscular Poppy, with surgically enhanced breasts, looks great in a bikini, but also with a glass of champagne in her hand. Photos abound with her at events to fight illiteracy, poverty, cancer, blindness, hunger, domestic violence, animal abuse and a multitude of other “causes”. She reportedly runs a modeling agency, but actually is Steiner’s recruiter and accomplice. ( Ghislaine Maxwell & Jeffrey Epstein ? )
Steiner not only has an expansive mansion on Comm Ave in Boston, but also on a seclusive peninsula in Miami , Florida. After a day or two in Miami, he hops on his private jet
with his young “guests” to jet over to his privately owned island in the Bahamas. The island appears to be the site of extensive parties, attended by politicians, CEOs, and even foreign dignitaries. Ace Atkins spins a complex and “twisted” narrative as a worthy addition to the ever expanding genre of “modern day” historical fiction. This is Atkins’ ninth contribution to the beloved Spenser ethos with continuation of the smart-mouthed tough guy with a code of honor and astute sense of culture, taste, and humor. Thankfully, we catch his third “Pearl” , a German shorthaired pointer,
during her puppy years of training, chewing shoes and furniture, a leaving presents scattered across the carpeting. His long-time girlfriend, Susan, the Harvard trained psychologist reprises her role as confidant, and counter-point to his thinking and actions. How will Spencer bring this international sex trafficking operation to its knees? Along the way, the situation is complicated by the presence of an old nemesis, The Gray Man. This can be enjoyed and devoured as a standalone, even if the reader has never read a Spenser novel in the past …. Atkins seamlessly provides all the necessary backstory. Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Jan 30, 2021 Jeff Dickison rated it really liked it

Ace Atkins does a great job with the Spenser series and here he does a do over of the Jeff Epstein episode, and if you still don't get it, he names one of his cops Epstein. Spense and Hawk take down a rich millionaire and his procurer with a penchant for sex with children. Has a nice surprise ending. Recommended. ...more

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Feb 08, 2021 Hobart rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2021-reads

★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---

It was early evening and early summer, and my bay window was cracked open above Berkeley Street. I had a half-eaten turkey sub on my desk and the sports page from The Globe splayed out underneath. Dan Shaughnessy proclaimed Mookie Betts to be overrated. I'm sure many said the same thing about me. But I was pretty sure being overrated was better than being underrated. A mistake few made twice.

I contemplated Mookie’s s

...more

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Jan 15, 2021 Anthony Head rated it it was ok

This is the last of the Spenser books. No, it isn’t an end to the series, but it is the end of my reading of the new ones. After forty-eight years, three authors, and forty-nine books, it is time to say goodbye to Spenser, Hawk, Susan and all the rest of the gang.

When Robert Parker died suddenly ten years ago, his estate’s decision to continue the series (whether for art, honor, or money) with Ace Atkins at the helm didn’t seem like a terrible idea. Ace Atkins is an excellent writer.

However, whe This is the last of the Spenser books. No, it isn’t an end to the series, but it is the end of my reading of the new ones. After forty-eight years, three authors, and forty-nine books, it is time to say goodbye to Spenser, Hawk, Susan and all the rest of the gang.

When Robert Parker died suddenly ten years ago, his estate’s decision to continue the series (whether for art, honor, or money) with Ace Atkins at the helm didn’t seem like a terrible idea. Ace Atkins is an excellent writer.

However, whether under the pen of Parker or Atkins, the Spenser novels take place in the same real time setting. As a result, at this point the timeline stretches the readers’ credulity, particularly for those of us who have followed the books faithfully since the beginning. According to the series history, Spenser served in the Korean War. That makes him about eighty-five years old now.

The Atkins novels have taken note of the gray in Spenser’s hair by referencing him as being “old” in comparison to younger characters (in this latest book, the twenty-two-year-old Mattie). Still, he, Hawk, and Susan behave in ways that would seem astonishing for someone twenty years their junior. Spenser continues to trade punches with multiple bad guys, and Susan’s beauty is undimmed as is her sexual appetite. Hawk can still be counted on to leap tall buildings. Only Martin Quirk shows signs of age as he worries about possibly being forced to retire from the police force, which should not be surprising since he should be around ninety by now. Only the bad guys in the series age—and die—in real time. (RIP Joe Broz.)

Atkins seems to play with this strange literary situation in this latest book via a subplot involving Pearl Number Three. Through most of the series, Spenser has always had a German Shorthair Pointer named Pearl. When a Pearl dies, Spenser gets another dog of similar breed and markings and names her Pearl, acting as if it was the same dog. This time Susan objects and attempts to break the fantasy that Pearl is living forever. However, she is ultimately won over, because the newest Pearl is so adorably like her predecessors. Perhaps Atkins is suggesting we treat his Spenser in the same manner…as being the original Spenser if we don’t look too closely at the situation.

Regardless of the timeline issue, Spenser has seen it all and done it all and has frankly run out of new ideas. The introduction of new, younger characters like Sixkill, Lt. Glass and Mattie isn’t working to save the series. They don’t have enough time on the page to be fully developed. To do that would require limiting the established Spenser characters and thus losing the essence of the series. Moreover, the plots are running out of steam, particularly in this latest book.

A tradition of the series is to have Spenser muddle through a whodunnit mystery, stirring up trouble and being menaced by unknown assailants until the real evildoer is revealed and brought to justice. In this latest book, the bad guys are revealed early on as the literary version of real-life slime ball pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his companion, Chislaine Maxwell. The story follows Spenser’s attempt to trap the two rather than discover their identities. It just doesn’t have the edge that a Spenser mystery deserves. And the finale is just a throwaway contrivance to bring the story to a close.

In the end, one might suggest a Spenser series reboot by rolling back the ages of the characters. Or, new books might be set some years back in the original timeline between already published episodes. Both methods have been used to keep James Bond “alive.”
However, I suspect the best course is to say goodbye. Let Quirk retire before he keels over. Allow Hawk to give up his thug-for-hire lifestyle and retire to a beach house in the Bahamas, as he suggests is possible in this book. Have Spenser take Susan on a world cruise while they still have each other. Let’s say thank you to Atkins and the memory of Parker before moving on to find the next great, smart-ass, tough guy with a heart of gold, private detective to carry Spencer’s torch onward. ...more

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Jan 29, 2021 Lesa rated it liked it

Shelves: crime-fiction, mystery-series, private-investigators

As I mentioned the other day, after Robert B. Parker died I tried one of the Spenser novels by Ace Atkins, and gave up. The voice just didn’t hit me right. I’d always been a fan of Spenser, enjoying his witty, sometimes snarky comments. It’s been a few years, and I finally picked up Robert B. Parker’s Someone to Watch Over Me. Spenser and Hawk are right in this book. I wonder, though, how long the series will continue. Both of them are aware that they’re aging. Of course, they’ve been aging for As I mentioned the other day, after Robert B. Parker died I tried one of the Spenser novels by Ace Atkins, and gave up. The voice just didn’t hit me right. I’d always been a fan of Spenser, enjoying his witty, sometimes snarky comments. It’s been a few years, and I finally picked up Robert B. Parker’s Someone to Watch Over Me. Spenser and Hawk are right in this book. I wonder, though, how long the series will continue. Both of them are aware that they’re aging. Of course, they’ve been aging for untold years. Anyone who followed the series knows when Parker started the books, Spenser was a veteran of the Korean War.

In Robert B. Parker’s Lullaby, Mattie Sullivan was a fourteen-year-old who asked Spenser to look into her mother’s murder. Now, Mattie is twenty-two. She’s working as Spenser’s part-time assistant and apprentice. She wants to be a private investigator. She brings him her own case. Chloe Turner, a fifteen-year-old left her backpack and laptop at Blackstone, a private club. She can’t get it back. It turns out Chloe has been promised $500 for giving an old man a massage.

There’s a history in Boston. Chloe was recruited by a high school senior. Debbie Delgado is recruiting girls, fifteen, sixteen, the younger the better, to massage, and do more for powerful, rich men. Poppy Palmer, a forty-three-year old, originally from England, is behind the recruitment, along with Peter Steiner, head of an investment firm. Mattie finds a few other girls who have been recruited, including some that have flown to Steiner’s private island in the Bahamas. There are no rules on Steiner’s island.

It doesn’t take long before Mattie and Spenser attract the attention of Steiner’s private security thugs. Spenser and Hawk can handle that. As they investigate and talk with friends in law enforcement, they discover Steiner has wiggled loose of any charges, as witnesses stop talking. It might take some intervention from Spenser and Hawk to stop Steiner and Poppy Palmer. But, one of Spenser’s old enemies might be standing in the way.

Let’s face it. The procurers of underage girls in this book bear a striking resemblance to the stories told of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. While I enjoyed some of the book, the ending just didn’t work for me, although the voice has gotten better.

I think it’s about time Spenser and Hawk are allowed to enjoy retirement. I think that dead authors should be allowed to rest in peace, and their series should rest in peace with them.

Note: Just wanted to add that my favorite paragraph in the book occurred when Spenser suggested they could go to Hank Phillippi Ryan, investigative reporter for Ch. 7 in Boston, for assistance. ...more

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Jan 19, 2021 Donna rated it really liked it

Mattie is Spenser's part time secretary/sleuthing assistant. I can see why he likes her -- she's full of bravado and has a true mouth on her. She tells him a friend, only 15 years old, was asked to give a massage to an older man in a gentleman's club -- only a massage for $500. You can guess that's not all that happened. When the girl ran, she left her backpack and they won't give it back. You know Spenser is not going to let this ride.

Big news flash: Hawk is back! The Spenser books have not be ...more

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Jan 12, 2021 Mark rated it really liked it

Shelves: current-affairs, political-thriller, police-pi-mystery, legal-thriller, investigative

I'm thoroughly thankful for the estates of some of my favorite authors, like Parker, Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn, employing “legacy authors," that, not only keep the franchises alive, but have captured the original author's essence...Ace Atkins has the Spencer universe nailed, especially the dialogue driven scenes…Jeffery Epstein DID NOT kill himself, rather he shows up here on the pages of Ace Atkins' "Spenser," Someone to Watch Over Me."...Peter Steiner and Poppy, the millionaire, and the woman ...more

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Jan 28, 2021 Arnie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I was going to compliment Ace on doing a great job capturing Parker’s voice. But really at this point it’s just a great Ace Atkins Spenser novel. When I laugh out loud while reading, I know it’s Spenser at his best. Thank you Ace.

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Jan 13, 2021 Virginia C. Linch rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Disappointment

Having read every Spenser book, I was hoping his awesome legacy would continue. Not to be. EeK? From Spenser? Never has he ever been boring, he is now. Never has the dialogue been tedious, it is now. Never has Hawk been a mere sidekick, he is now.
Will 're -read from my library and be glad Robert Parker is not here to know that his legacy has been violated in the worst way ...more

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Sep 26, 2020 Peter Ackerman rated it it was amazing

What might one do if a Spenser movie tanks on Netflix. Take another Netflix show and write a Spenser novel around it? That feels like what happened here with Robert B. Parker’s Someone To Watch Over Me written by Ace Atkins, but fear not, it works!

The book opens with Spenser and his new associate, young 22-year-old Mattie, helping a friend of hers who was accosted by a millionaire under the guise of giving a massage in his home. As the duo follows the crime, the millionaire, and the woman who as ...more

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Jan 31, 2021 Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller rated it it was amazing

SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME is an immediate bright spot for the beginning of the new year. Ace Atkins was personally tapped by Joan H. Parker to continue the stories of Spenser, the iconic detective created by her late husband, Robert B. Parker. It was an excellent choice, as Atkins has been able to bring his own fine writing chops to the table while preserving and continuing Parker’s magic.

This latest entry brings back a character I am not particularly fond of: Mattie Sullivan, who is serving as s SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME is an immediate bright spot for the beginning of the new year. Ace Atkins was personally tapped by Joan H. Parker to continue the stories of Spenser, the iconic detective created by her late husband, Robert B. Parker. It was an excellent choice, as Atkins has been able to bring his own fine writing chops to the table while preserving and continuing Parker’s magic.

This latest entry brings back a character I am not particularly fond of: Mattie Sullivan, who is serving as something more than Spenser’s understudy and something less than his partner. It’s slightly awkward, but she does fulfill the purpose of bringing Spenser into his latest case. Mattie has an acquaintance, a young woman named Chloe Turner, who has what appears to be a minor problem. Chloe was employed for what was supposed to be a one-off at a private club for stupid money but ultimately involved duties beyond what she expected and wanted. She left the premises rather hurriedly, leaving her backpack and laptop behind, and enlists Spenser to retrieve her belongings.

Spenser does so in his unique style, but he quickly learns that there is more going on at the club, and elsewhere, than an attempted misappropriation of property. The man and woman who run the place are simply horrible people who offer services that cater to rich and powerful individuals with monstrous desires.

Spenser and Mattie soon become involved much more deeply than they originally intended. He brings Hawk into the mix, which is never a bad thing, and the two longtime friends and associates follow an evidentiary trail that leads them away from the familiar environs of Boston to a quite different place. Their targets, of course, do not take the pursuit either well or passively. As a result, Spenser and those involved with him personally and professionally find themselves in a tremendous amount of danger. Still, he handles things with his usual aplomb, and along the way learns a bit more about his enigmatic partner.

Another character from the canon who is not a friendly one makes a reappearance, while a new presence is introduced as Spenser and his longtime significant other, Susan, have a quiet but deep difference of opinion that takes them most of the book to work out. A lot is going on here, but the reader never gets lost. This is due to Atkins’ remarkable characterization, pacing and plot, the latter of which is drawn from the real world.

SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME is a love letter from Atkins to Parker’s fans, as well as an invitation to a generation of readers to come and join the party. It is both comfortably familiar and newly intriguing, which is a tough balance to achieve, let alone maintain. Atkins does both, and amazingly well. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment, and the ones after that.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub ...more

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Jan 24, 2021 Jay rated it liked it

In the latest Spenser novel, author Ace Atkins reintroduces readers to Mattie Sullivan. For longtime fans of the series, you'll remember her as the 14 year old from South Boston that Spenser ended up helping find out the true killer of her mother.

It's been 8 years since they first met and now Mattie is a 22 year old young woman. She helps Spenser with various administrative tasks associated with his PI business and is learning the ropes as a fledgling investigator herself.

That last part figures In the latest Spenser novel, author Ace Atkins reintroduces readers to Mattie Sullivan. For longtime fans of the series, you'll remember her as the 14 year old from South Boston that Spenser ended up helping find out the true killer of her mother.

It's been 8 years since they first met and now Mattie is a 22 year old young woman. She helps Spenser with various administrative tasks associated with his PI business and is learning the ropes as a fledgling investigator herself.

That last part figures quite heavily into the plot. Mattie brings Spenser in on a case of a young girl who was assaulted by a extremely rich old man. The girl isn't looking to do much more than get back her personal property but things soon spiral out of control.

I should mention now that the plot is pretty much a fictionalized version of a certain extremely well publicized sex scandal involving a rich wealthy SOB, his accomplice "girlfriend" and a client list of well-known public figures. So you can guess where the story is invariably headed.

While there is some lack of suspense given the origin of the plot, it's the way Atkins develops the story to fit what you would expect out of a Spenser story that makes it worth reading.

The interplay between Spenser and Susan, the involvement of Hawk and the relationship between Spenser and Mattie make for great dialogue driven scenes. The return of a longtime Spenser antagonist makes for some great reading along with some unforeseen twists and turns.

For me, I think Mattie Sullivan is a great character. Rough-hewn from a hard childhood, she's even less prone to niceties than Spenser or Hawk, but she's endearing nonetheless. She doesn't suffer fools and calls them out on their BS. And her hard charging ways in the pursuit of what she sees as justice give her great poignancy. Her arc in this book is really quite fascinating as it would seem that a new path is in the offing.

I particularly love how fast moving the Spenser novels are and this book is no exception. It seemed like I was just racing through the story as Spenser and Hawk assist Mattie with a case that starts with a small Boston based issue of stolen property and revs up to an international manhunt with a reckoning for anyone who took part in the extremely heinous crimes uncovered. ...more

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Jan 23, 2021 Michael O'Leary rated it it was amazing

When my favorite author, Robert B. Parker died unexpectedly in January 2010, I was devastated. He was a great mystery/detective writer with several viable series in the genre. After his death the executors of his estate decided, together with Parker’s publishers, to allow the Spenser, Jesse Stone, Sunny Randall, and Virgil Cole & Everett Hitch series to continue to be written by agreed-upon authors.

The Spenser novels first continued with the one Parker was working on at his death was completed b When my favorite author, Robert B. Parker died unexpectedly in January 2010, I was devastated. He was a great mystery/detective writer with several viable series in the genre. After his death the executors of his estate decided, together with Parker’s publishers, to allow the Spenser, Jesse Stone, Sunny Randall, and Virgil Cole & Everett Hitch series to continue to be written by agreed-upon authors.

The Spenser novels first continued with the one Parker was working on at his death was completed by his longtime literary agent, Helen Brann. Journalist/writer, Ace Atkins has continued the series by penning eight additional Spenser novels.

The newest and ninth installment in the Spenser series by Ace Atkins is entitled, Robert B. Parker's Someone to Watch Over Me. Atkins once again, captures the Spenser character with snappy dialogue, suspense, action, and a dynamic dramatic resolution.

The plot centers on Spenser who helped a teenage girl named Mattie Sullivan, ten years ago find her mother's killer and take down an infamous Boston crime boss. Mattie is now a college student with a side job working for Spenser and dreams of being an investigator herself.

Mattie's, first big case involves a fifteen-year-old girl assaulted by a much older man at one of Boston's most prestigious private clubs. The victim, Chloe Turner, only wants the safe return of her laptop and backpack. But, Mattie like Spenser has a knack for asking the right questions of the wrong people.

Spenser and Mattie begin to investigate and find ties between the exploitation of dozens of other girls from working-class families to an eccentric billionaire and his sadistic henchwoman with a mansion on Commonwealth Avenue. The mystery man's wealth, power, and connections extend well beyond Massachusetts, even beyond the United States. Spenser and trusted ally Hawk must again watch out for Mattie as she unravels a massive sex-trafficking ring that will take them from Boston to Boca Raton to the Bahamas, crossing paths with local toughs, a highly-trained security company, and an old enemy of Spenser's — the Gray Man, for a final epic showdown. This is a great read and parallels the recent news stories of the late millionaire Jeffrey Epstein financier and convicted sex offender. I highly recommend this latest installment in the Spenser series. ...more

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Jan 30, 2021 Glyn rated it really liked it

I'd never heard of either Robert B. Parker or indeed his detective creation Spenser before now and picked this book up on a whim, having seen the good reviews. Parker, I have since learned, died in 2010, but Ace Atkins has continued to bring Spenser to life and I'm glad he has (and maybe more authors should feel free to take this licence - why not have a new series of Sherlock Holmes, or Sam Spade and keep the wonderful characters alive for a new generation?).
The story is blatantly influenced by ...more

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Feb 01, 2021 Jenna rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021-book-hoarder-reading-challenge

HOARDER CHALLENGE #18-MINIMALIST COVER
3.5 stars

Mattie is a great additional character to the series. She fits right in w Spenser & his pals even tho she’s a young girl. Another kid for him to mentor. While it does fit w/ their characters & I get it, it’s a shame that he & Susan never married or had kids. I like that he’s taken on some young people over the years who become family (ie. Paul, Z, Mattie, etc.) the fit in with his world.
This is a rough one dealing with sex crimes against young girls ...more

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Jan 15, 2021 Jodi rated it really liked it

Shelves: libby, 2021-read

This is a reimagining in Boston of the Jeffrey Epstein/Ghislaine Maxwell case. Spenser has a new sidekick, Mattie Sullivan, the girl he helped 10 years ago find her mother's killer and take down a crime boss. Now she's in college and works for Spenser on the side. She brings him what appears to be an easy case. A friend did a stupid thing. She took a job for $500 to give a massage to an older guy but the guy wanted more. She ran and left her backpack behind. She wants it back. Unfortunately, Spe ...more

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Jan 26, 2021 Ken rated it it was ok · review of another edition

How old is Spenser supposed to be at this point? Woody Strode? Has to be over 60. Several illusions to "old man" but he still takes down the 30-40 year professional hit men with ease, and all the women's hearts go a flutter when they smell his aftershave. I've read 48 Spenser adventures so far. There were probably 15 great ones, 25 above average ones, and eight kind of like this, meh. I don't blame Atkins, he does a remarkable job of channeling Parker's style and character but he's really just g ...more

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Feb 22, 2021 Debra Belmudes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Well done! I thoroughly enjoy Joe Mantegna's narration of the Spenser books ... he captures Spenser's irreverant sense of humor so well! The author does an excellent job of carrying on Robert B. Parker's writing style.

It's your usual Boston PI story with an updated twist thanks to the news headlines provided by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.... you get the idea. ...more

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Jan 25, 2021 John Owen rated it really liked it

If you've read all of the Robert B. Parker books, then the Ace Atkins versions are worth reading. He does a great job of emulating Parker's style. ...more

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Jan 30, 2021 Will G rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a vintage Spenser yarn from Ace Atkins worthy of those written by Robert Parker himself. A thinly veiled Spenser version of Jeffrey Epstein makes this very topical. Hawk is featured in this one as well. A great read....

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Feb 26, 2021 Mary rated it it was ok

I didn't realize this book was the type of mystery I don't like. So my rating is probably not fair for those people who like this series. ...more

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Jan 26, 2021 Rick rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Spenser, Hawk and crew challenge a Jeffrey Epstein-like character and his disgusting entourage in this thriller. Susan is in this one too as a bonus.

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Jan 21, 2021 Ned Frederick rated it liked it

Someone to Watch Over Me reads like vintage Spenser. I was an early and devoted reader of the series starting some 40 years ago. However, its been 20 years since I last read one of the Parker originals, although I did consume the first Atkins-written continuation, Wonderland, a few years back. It’s fun being back in Boston's Backbay with Spenser. But he could use an update in my opinion. Surprisingly, even with a couple of decades more experience under his size 42 belt, I’m disappointed to repor Someone to Watch Over Me reads like vintage Spenser. I was an early and devoted reader of the series starting some 40 years ago. However, its been 20 years since I last read one of the Parker originals, although I did consume the first Atkins-written continuation, Wonderland, a few years back. It’s fun being back in Boston's Backbay with Spenser. But he could use an update in my opinion. Surprisingly, even with a couple of decades more experience under his size 42 belt, I’m disappointed to report that his take on most things seems retrograde, or, at the least, threadbare. Spenser clearly hasn’t kept up.
Most of his cultural references are anchored in the last millennium, if not the 70’s, and his racial and gender attitudes are even more dated... if seemingly well intentioned. I say this because Spenser seems like an irrelevant old man most of the time, at least based on his first person narration. His character hasn’t evolved since the Clinton administration. One bright spot... Spenser's new and potty-mouthed 22yr old assistant Mattie. She keeps it fresh if not a bit over the top with the attitude, even for someone from Southie. Admittedly, in the repartee wars with Spenser you have to go big or go home. I suspect that most of the series loyal readers could care less about all these observations. As Hawk might say "Spenser gonna be Spenser". More concerning is that Atkins writing is uneven. The dialog seems forced at times, trying too hard for the zinger, and yet fresh and funny at other moments. Like so much early Spenser there is a heavy nod to the kind of chivalrous behavior that skirts the edges of paternalism, and would most certainly qualify for a heavy eyeroll from most young women these days. Part of Spenser's charm is the sarcastic pedantic commentary he spews when he is about to teach someone a lesson about the physical limitations of their swagger. But honestly it often falls flat in this book because of his use of outdated or arcane literary references. Spenser's idea of "getting" someone is to toss an obscure literary quote their way to elicit that predictable, puzzled and pissed off response that inevitably speeds things along. Admittedly he is capable of deep empathy, but Spenser is also annoyingly self-righteous and emotionally self-indulgent. Yes, he’s an a-hole that way, but at the end of the day, he’s an a-hole on the right side of right and wrong.
These annoyances aside, this is a solid story that explores the horrors of pedophilia of the wealth-enabled sexual predator variety currently patented by the evil and creepy Jeffrey Epstein/ Ghislaine Maxwell duo. Atkins elicits high emotions and a strong desire to see the perpetrators dealt with. It’s this sentiment that propels the narrative and allows the reader to set aside all of Spenser’s flaws in pursuit of that particular and inevitable moment of satisfaction. Atkins and Spenser deliver, but still, Mr. Atkins... a little less franchise and a lot more personal evolution would be nice. Maybe next time.
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Jan 25, 2021 Brett T rated it it was ok · review of another edition

In the 48th Spenser book overall, Ace Atkins puts in a callback to his first outing with Robert B. Parker's main creation, Spenser. In 2012's Lullaby, he helped Mattie Sullivan find the actual men who killed her mother. In this year's Someone to Watch Over Me, a grown Maddie comes to Spenser for help with what seems like a small matter: A friend's young sister unwisely took $500 to be a "hostess" at a well-heeled private Boston club. The girl's encounter with a powerful man there unsettled her e In the 48th Spenser book overall, Ace Atkins puts in a callback to his first outing with Robert B. Parker's main creation, Spenser. In 2012's Lullaby, he helped Mattie Sullivan find the actual men who killed her mother. In this year's Someone to Watch Over Me, a grown Maddie comes to Spenser for help with what seems like a small matter: A friend's young sister unwisely took $500 to be a "hostess" at a well-heeled private Boston club. The girl's encounter with a powerful man there unsettled her enough that she fled immediately, leaving behind a backpack and laptop. Although the girl asked Maddie to help, she only got herself thrown out of the club and she would like a little help from Spenser.

He freely gives it, but this small rock turns over to reveal corruption deep and wide as wealthy and powerful people indulge their appetite for young girls while being protected by public officials -- some of whom are just bought off but some of whom participate in the lead baddie's sordid entertainments. Now working with Maddie as well as his longtime friend Hawk, Spenser pursues women willing to tell the truth about the rot and the predators at its core. They won't go quietly, though, and to threaten Spenser or just plain stop him they hire the Gray Man, a professional assassin who once nearly killed him.

Up until last year's Angel Eyes, Atkins had a string of strong outings with Spenser. Its less-focused, less-disciplined narrative left it mostly unsatisfying and unfortunately Someone is a second miss in a row. Atkins ignored a rule that Parker -- intentionally or otherwise -- created in the last decade or so he wrote Spenser -- when your story features Rugar, the Gray Man, it's going to stink. The monochromatic assassin first appeared in Small Vices, where he nearly killed Spenser. Despite his importance as a lever for the narrative, he had a relatively small part. But he came back in on Spenser's side in Cold Service and then as an antagonist again in Rough Weather. Neither book was very good, and part of the reason was the way they traded in the global espionage sort of market in which you might find a super-assassin. They detracted from the realism that usually grounds a Spenser book (A Catskill Eagle, though lacking the Gray Man, has a similar problem of scale).

The banter between Mattie and Spenser is fun, but the obvious Jeffrey Epstein analogue storyline and the way connections to Hawk's supposed Foreign Legion and mercenary past are drawn into the story leave Someone very un-Spenser like and ultimately unsatisfying. It's Atkins' first real miss with the series, so we can hope he bounces back with his next outing. ...more

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Dec 27, 2020 Annie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Someone to Watch Over Me is the 48th (!!) Spenser novel, and the 9th (by my count) written by Ace Atkins after Mr. Parker's death. Due out 12th Jan 2021 from Penguin Random House on their G.P. Putnam's Sons imprint, it's 400 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.
I've been in love with this series since book 1 (The Godwulf Manuscript) and I was really sad when the author passed, thinking that I would have to confine Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Someone to Watch Over Me is the 48th (!!) Spenser novel, and the 9th (by my count) written by Ace Atkins after Mr. Parker's death. Due out 12th Jan 2021 from Penguin Random House on their G.P. Putnam's Sons imprint, it's 400 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.
I've been in love with this series since book 1 (The Godwulf Manuscript) and I was really sad when the author passed, thinking that I would have to confine myself to re-reads to get my Spenser/Hawk fix. I was nervous about someone else taking over the writing, but have been really impressed and happy with the newest books in the series.

Other reviewers (and the book's blurb) have set up the plot quite well. I'll just add that all of the elements which made us fall in love with Spenser & co. from the start are here also. The characters (trigger warning, exploitation of minors, and sexual exploitation are themes) are ripped from recent news headlines (including a "fantasy island" which hearkens to the relatively recently departed unlamented Jeffry Epstein and his henchpeople). Because the theme is so triggering and horrific, I will say there's no direct graphic sexual content, but there are descriptions of abuse (not graphic) during interviews with victims which were somewhat difficult for me to read. I mostly skimmed over those. They certainly weren't used egregiously, they were integral to the plot, but they were rather difficult to see.

It's a solidly written PI murder mystery with an indelible American flavor. Boston's local atmosphere and settings are a vital part of the book. I love Spenser's relationship with Susan (smart, funny, capable, and real) and the interplay between Spenser and his compatriots. I loved the sarcastic wit and real humor and repartee in the dialogue. I'm obviously a solid fan of this series, and my opinion wasn't dented one tiny bit by this latest adventure. Ace Atkins isn't Robert B. Parker, but he's pretty darned close.

Five stars for fans of the series. Probably four to five for new readers who enjoy gritty American PI adventures.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. ...more

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About Ace Atkins

Ace Atkins

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Ace Atkins is the author of eight novels, including his latest, Infamous, from G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

A former journalist who cut his teeth as a crime reporter in the newsroom of The Tampa Tribune, he published his first novel, Crossroad Blues, at 27 and became a full-time novelist at 30.

While at the Tribune, Ace earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination for a feature series based on his investigation into a ...more