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Spenser #8
A Savage Place
TV reporter Candy Sloan has eyes the color of cornflowers and legs that stretch all the way to heaven. She also has somebody threatening to rearrange her lovely face if she keeps on snooping into charges of Hollywood racketeering.
Spenser's job is to keep Candy healthy until she breaks the biggest story of her career. But her star witness has just bowed out with three bullets in his chest, two tough guys have doubled up to test Spenser's skill with his fists, and Candy is about to use her own sweet body as live bait in a deadly romantic game--a game that may cost Spenser his life.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1981
1392 people are currently reading
1334 people want to read
About the author
Robert B. Parker
496 books2,340 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database named Robert B. Parker.
Robert Brown Parker was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. ABC television network developed the television series Spenser: For Hire based on the character in the mid-1980s; a series of TV movies was also produced based on the character. His works incorporate encyclopedic knowledge of the Boston metropolitan area. The Spenser novels have been cited as reviving and changing the detective genre by critics and bestselling authors including Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, and Dennis Lehane.
Parker also wrote nine novels featuring the fictional character Jesse Stone, a Los Angeles police officer who moves to a small New England town; six novels with the fictional character Sunny Randall, a female private investigator; and four Westerns starring the duo Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. The first was Appaloosa, made into a film starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
Robert Brown Parker was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. ABC television network developed the television series Spenser: For Hire based on the character in the mid-1980s; a series of TV movies was also produced based on the character. His works incorporate encyclopedic knowledge of the Boston metropolitan area. The Spenser novels have been cited as reviving and changing the detective genre by critics and bestselling authors including Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, and Dennis Lehane.
Parker also wrote nine novels featuring the fictional character Jesse Stone, a Los Angeles police officer who moves to a small New England town; six novels with the fictional character Sunny Randall, a female private investigator; and four Westerns starring the duo Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. The first was Appaloosa, made into a film starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews
November 7, 2019
One of the virtues of re-reading is that you may discover as much about your changing self as you do about your old friend the book. So it was with my recent reading of the Spenser mystery A Savage Place. When I read the book forty years ago, I disliked it. Spenser in L.A. seemed like a fish out of water: deprived of his Bostonian moral compass (and Susan), he makes self-serving and emotional decisions, both personal and professional, thereby precipitating a dramatic—and very public—end to his California adventure.
All of these things are just as true of the book now as they were then. But back then they disappointed me, for they made me think less of one of my beloved heroes, whereas now they just add complexity to the portrait of an admirable but fallible man.
Former client Rachel Wallace phones Spenser to tell him that L.A. reporter Candy Sloan could use his help: she has uncovered corruption in the film business and fears for her life. Spenser signs on as a bodyguard—not an investigator, since that is Sloan's department—and soon finds himself enmeshed in pay-offs, violence, and murder.
It is ironic that Wallace introduces him to this case, for A Savage Place is in many ways a re-imagining of the earlier adventure, Looking for Rachel Wallace. But this time around the circumstances conspire to diminish our hero, darken his motives, and lead him to a reckless—and very exciting—scheme to force a resolution of the case.
I still don't think this is one of Spenser's absolute best, but it is nonetheless a thoroughly enjoyable mystery, and recommended for any serious mystery fan.
October 30, 2025
“For something as large as it is, death doesn’t look like much at first.”
If those in charge of Robert B. Parker’s legacy as a writer were asked to choose one book to place in a time capsule, for future generations, a story that would highlight his crisp prose, his swiftly-moving and enjoyable narratives, his sterling dialog and humorous wit, his welcome references to literature and culture that made his best detective novels more than the sum of their parts, and the resonating story-lines he was capable of early in the series, A Savage Place might not be a bad choice.
A Savage Place contains all those things, and is Robert B. Parker, and Spenser, at his best. There is a minimal amount of Susan here — thank goodness — but also no Hawk and no Vinnie. In the later books, Susan’s absence for most of a story would become rare indeed, but even more welcome. Hawk’s and Vinnie’s absence from a later Spenser story could often be a detriment, but here in A Savage Place, at this point in the series, it works in the story’s favor.
“As I moved in the darkness I noticed there was scrub growth in parts of the oil field. When I was very close, I could see them and see how the wind made their branches move restively, like animals too long restrained. Then I heard the shots.”
There is a story here, and a plot, and it’s a good one. Parker slowly paints Candy Sloan as a real person, not just a plot device, and she’s fleshed out in her attributes and her failings in such a deft way over the course of this novel that we understand what Spenser sees in her that makes him feel about her the way that he does. When things go awry near the moving and resonating end of A Savage Place, it isn’t the violence we remember or connect with, but the emotions, the loss, and the regret. In that sense, even though this bears no resemblance in tone or form to the Lew Archer novels of Ross Macdonald, there is an echo of the better Archer novels.
Spenser is out of his normal Boston element, traveling to the fake land of Los Angeles to protect a pretty reporter named Candy Sloan, at the behest of Rachel Wallace. It gives Parker, through Spenser’s voice, a chance to make pointed observations about both the shallow culture of Los Angeles and its surrealistic vibe.
Candy Sloan was the first relatable romantic interest that Parker let get away in the series; Linda, from Valediction became the next. Eventually he would double down on Susan, and the series would alter and become something less than the promise of Early Autumn and Ceremony and A Savage Place because of it. Sometimes the series entries would be almost as good, but more as entertainment; Parker’s tools as a writer were still on display, but his heart to make the stories resonate like earlier entries either too damaged or too compromised to go there, in my opinion as a reader.
“The rain was hard now, and dense, washing down on her upturned face. The wind was warm no longer.”
Hundred-Dollar Baby, the third novel in the April Kyle trilogy, which came much later in this series, almost matches A Savage Place in its resonance, and the feeling of loss at the end. Almost. I’ve reviewed a ton of Spenser novels over the years, and returning to this earlier one in the Spenser canon is just a stark reminder of what we lost when Parker passed. Avoid all the novels written since his death; despite what you might hear, they’re dreadful, and don’t come close to capturing Parker’s voice or his characters. It is sad that in a generation, so many will have read the books written by others since his passing, that few will even remember Spenser, or Parker, as they once were.
Pick up A Savage Place to get a real sense of what this series once was, and what a great writer in this genre we all lost when he left us.
If those in charge of Robert B. Parker’s legacy as a writer were asked to choose one book to place in a time capsule, for future generations, a story that would highlight his crisp prose, his swiftly-moving and enjoyable narratives, his sterling dialog and humorous wit, his welcome references to literature and culture that made his best detective novels more than the sum of their parts, and the resonating story-lines he was capable of early in the series, A Savage Place might not be a bad choice.
A Savage Place contains all those things, and is Robert B. Parker, and Spenser, at his best. There is a minimal amount of Susan here — thank goodness — but also no Hawk and no Vinnie. In the later books, Susan’s absence for most of a story would become rare indeed, but even more welcome. Hawk’s and Vinnie’s absence from a later Spenser story could often be a detriment, but here in A Savage Place, at this point in the series, it works in the story’s favor.
“As I moved in the darkness I noticed there was scrub growth in parts of the oil field. When I was very close, I could see them and see how the wind made their branches move restively, like animals too long restrained. Then I heard the shots.”
There is a story here, and a plot, and it’s a good one. Parker slowly paints Candy Sloan as a real person, not just a plot device, and she’s fleshed out in her attributes and her failings in such a deft way over the course of this novel that we understand what Spenser sees in her that makes him feel about her the way that he does. When things go awry near the moving and resonating end of A Savage Place, it isn’t the violence we remember or connect with, but the emotions, the loss, and the regret. In that sense, even though this bears no resemblance in tone or form to the Lew Archer novels of Ross Macdonald, there is an echo of the better Archer novels.
Spenser is out of his normal Boston element, traveling to the fake land of Los Angeles to protect a pretty reporter named Candy Sloan, at the behest of Rachel Wallace. It gives Parker, through Spenser’s voice, a chance to make pointed observations about both the shallow culture of Los Angeles and its surrealistic vibe.
Candy Sloan was the first relatable romantic interest that Parker let get away in the series; Linda, from Valediction became the next. Eventually he would double down on Susan, and the series would alter and become something less than the promise of Early Autumn and Ceremony and A Savage Place because of it. Sometimes the series entries would be almost as good, but more as entertainment; Parker’s tools as a writer were still on display, but his heart to make the stories resonate like earlier entries either too damaged or too compromised to go there, in my opinion as a reader.
“The rain was hard now, and dense, washing down on her upturned face. The wind was warm no longer.”
Hundred-Dollar Baby, the third novel in the April Kyle trilogy, which came much later in this series, almost matches A Savage Place in its resonance, and the feeling of loss at the end. Almost. I’ve reviewed a ton of Spenser novels over the years, and returning to this earlier one in the Spenser canon is just a stark reminder of what we lost when Parker passed. Avoid all the novels written since his death; despite what you might hear, they’re dreadful, and don’t come close to capturing Parker’s voice or his characters. It is sad that in a generation, so many will have read the books written by others since his passing, that few will even remember Spenser, or Parker, as they once were.
Pick up A Savage Place to get a real sense of what this series once was, and what a great writer in this genre we all lost when he left us.
February 3, 2010
As those young kids on The Internets would say: Spenser FAIL!
One of my complaints about the later Spenser books was that he stopped making mistakes somewhere along the line. Errors in judgment made him much more interesting, especially in how he dealt with the aftermath of life-and-death decisions that went sour on him. Re-reading the earlier books, I’ve been reminded how often Spenser screwed up, and in this one, he fucks up catastrophically on a couple of levels, professionally and personally. And then he goes ape shit and probably should have been sent to prison. It’s awesome!
Spenser gets hired by a local Los Angeles TV station to protect one of its reporters, Candy Sloan. Candy has a line on some illegal union pay-outs from a movie studio, and she’s noticed that she’s been followed. Spenser heads to Hollywood, and tries to watch Candy’s back, but she gets beaten up right after Spenser arrives which should have been an omen that this gig was going to go badly for everyone involved.
Parker never wrote a scene about the immediate aftermath of this case when Spenser returns to Boston, but we know from other books in the series that this one haunted him for the rest of his career. Susan mentions in a later book that the fall-out from what happened in L.A. contributes to the huge problems they have a few books down the line, and that’s another indication in how pivotal this book is in the Spenserverse.
This is also one of the shortest books at 192 pages, and I’m again amazed at how much story, lively characters and action Parker can cram in to such short books. He definitely had the gift of saying a lot with few words.
Next up: Spenser turns pimp in Ceremony.
January 27, 2019
A young female reporter is uncovering mob connections in the Los Angeles film industry and Spenser gets roped in.
It might seem a little odd that a Boston-based detective is needed to fly across the country to handle an affair that a local p.i. could manage, but Parker's compact and expedited reasoning at the start of the book is sufficient, especially if you've already read Looking for Rachel Wallace.
I particularly enjoyed A Savage Place, not because it's better than any other Spenser book, but because I'm originally from the Boston-area and I moved to LA for a few years, so this feels very familiar. Plus, I got a kick out of Parker's copious namedropping of all things LA.
It's short, with a straight forward plot, and not terribly filled with depth on the subject of movies, but if you're a casual fan of flicks and like detective fiction, this is the book for you!
It might seem a little odd that a Boston-based detective is needed to fly across the country to handle an affair that a local p.i. could manage, but Parker's compact and expedited reasoning at the start of the book is sufficient, especially if you've already read Looking for Rachel Wallace.
I particularly enjoyed A Savage Place, not because it's better than any other Spenser book, but because I'm originally from the Boston-area and I moved to LA for a few years, so this feels very familiar. Plus, I got a kick out of Parker's copious namedropping of all things LA.
It's short, with a straight forward plot, and not terribly filled with depth on the subject of movies, but if you're a casual fan of flicks and like detective fiction, this is the book for you!
May 13, 2024
A different sort of adventure for Spenser in this outing. This time Spenser finds himself in Hollywood, far from his typical Boston stomping grounds, playing bodyguard to an investigative journalist. You can expect well written, characters, witty dialogue, and the typical red herrings. What is unexpected is the dramatic, shocking ending.
September 24, 2017
(The word "maroon" appears only once in this novel)
I have very mixed feelings about this book in many ways.
As we know, Spenser is a deeply conflicted man, and possibly an expression of Parker's own inner baggage, in some ways. This book clearly shows Spenser failing his own rules several times, and in ways that detract from his heroic persona.
Spenser is not a hero in the way Harry Bosch is a hero. Spenser's too often selfish and cruel, with the emphasis on "too often". However he does have wittier dialogue than Bosch, indicating a self-loathing in part, perhaps. Feet and legs of clay, sadly. I believe this may reflect some inner conflicts of Parker, himself.
He proves himself too often to be selfish and cruel, and arrogant towards his foundation, his redemptive relationship with Susan. We have not seen an overtly self-destructive Spenser in any of the books so far, but there have been hints, and in this book he goes too far.
As usual in the noir genre, a greek tragedy is set in motion by the good intentions of the detective-hero. His own arrogance leads him to overconfidence, and a failure to understand how his pursuit of "justice" and "the truth" destroy those he loves, and the innocents around him.
Spenser fits this image. You only need consider the collateral damage and deaths from his actions in all the books so far. He continues to act in the short-term, believing the ends justify the means. In this book, I think we see him at his most deeply flawed, and the costs to him will be very great. The costs to those he loves, and others, is even greater.
Parker again addresses feminist issues in this book, with a true effort by Spenser to mature, and with some success. This book was written in much harder days for women, and reminds us of the casual nature of misogyny in those times. The female lead, Candy, struggles with these injustices, but far less well than her friend Rachel from the earlier book, Looking for Rachel Wallace.
I was extremely disappointed in the final pages of the book, when the L.A. cop Samuelson and Spenser are wrapping up, and Parker allows Spenser's misogyny to show clearly, spoiler below.
**** SPOILER BELOW ****
.
“The thing is,” I said, “that she did what she did because she didn’t want to be just another pretty face in the newsroom, you know. Just a broad that they used to dress up the broadcast. She wanted to prove something about herself and about being a woman, I guess, and what got her killed—when you come down to it—was, she thought she could use being female on Brewster. When it came down to it, she depended on—” I stopped again. I couldn’t think of the right phrase.
“Feminine wiles,” Samuelson said.
“Yeah,” I said. “Feminine wiles. And it got her killed.”
See my review of Crimson Joy for more Spenser Series opinion...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Notes -
See also my quotes from the book.
71.0% ... of all the gin joints in all the world.... Parker does have the snappiest dialogue by far, book after book. Example:
Candy nodded absently.
“Okay,” she said. “What shall I wear?”
“A gun,” I said."
72.0% ... Spenser is not a hero in the way Harry Bosch is a hero. He's too often selfish and cruel, with the emphasis on "too often". However he does have wittier dialogue than Bosch, indicating a self-loathing in part. Feet and legs of clay, sadly. I believe this reflects inner conflicts of Parker himself.
I have very mixed feelings about this book in many ways.
As we know, Spenser is a deeply conflicted man, and possibly an expression of Parker's own inner baggage, in some ways. This book clearly shows Spenser failing his own rules several times, and in ways that detract from his heroic persona.
Spenser is not a hero in the way Harry Bosch is a hero. Spenser's too often selfish and cruel, with the emphasis on "too often". However he does have wittier dialogue than Bosch, indicating a self-loathing in part, perhaps. Feet and legs of clay, sadly. I believe this may reflect some inner conflicts of Parker, himself.
He proves himself too often to be selfish and cruel, and arrogant towards his foundation, his redemptive relationship with Susan. We have not seen an overtly self-destructive Spenser in any of the books so far, but there have been hints, and in this book he goes too far.
As usual in the noir genre, a greek tragedy is set in motion by the good intentions of the detective-hero. His own arrogance leads him to overconfidence, and a failure to understand how his pursuit of "justice" and "the truth" destroy those he loves, and the innocents around him.
Spenser fits this image. You only need consider the collateral damage and deaths from his actions in all the books so far. He continues to act in the short-term, believing the ends justify the means. In this book, I think we see him at his most deeply flawed, and the costs to him will be very great. The costs to those he loves, and others, is even greater.
Parker again addresses feminist issues in this book, with a true effort by Spenser to mature, and with some success. This book was written in much harder days for women, and reminds us of the casual nature of misogyny in those times. The female lead, Candy, struggles with these injustices, but far less well than her friend Rachel from the earlier book, Looking for Rachel Wallace.
I was extremely disappointed in the final pages of the book, when the L.A. cop Samuelson and Spenser are wrapping up, and Parker allows Spenser's misogyny to show clearly, spoiler below.
**** SPOILER BELOW ****
.
“The thing is,” I said, “that she did what she did because she didn’t want to be just another pretty face in the newsroom, you know. Just a broad that they used to dress up the broadcast. She wanted to prove something about herself and about being a woman, I guess, and what got her killed—when you come down to it—was, she thought she could use being female on Brewster. When it came down to it, she depended on—” I stopped again. I couldn’t think of the right phrase.
“Feminine wiles,” Samuelson said.
“Yeah,” I said. “Feminine wiles. And it got her killed.”
See my review of Crimson Joy for more Spenser Series opinion...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Notes -
See also my quotes from the book.
71.0% ... of all the gin joints in all the world.... Parker does have the snappiest dialogue by far, book after book. Example:
Candy nodded absently.
“Okay,” she said. “What shall I wear?”
“A gun,” I said."
72.0% ... Spenser is not a hero in the way Harry Bosch is a hero. He's too often selfish and cruel, with the emphasis on "too often". However he does have wittier dialogue than Bosch, indicating a self-loathing in part. Feet and legs of clay, sadly. I believe this reflects inner conflicts of Parker himself.
January 4, 2026
One of the early books by the original author, Robert Parker.
August 29, 2008
(# 8 of the Spenser series)-I did not like this one at all. It may be a pivotal book in the series but it did not impress me like some of the others. Spenser goes out to California to protect Candy, a news reporter. There is a scam going on (possibly involving the mob) that she has uncovered and she is trying to get more information so she can expose it thru the press. So there are guys after her. They kill her friend who is the only witness. Anyway, Spenser sleeps with her which pisses me off because he is supposedly still involved with Susan back home in Boston. The story is pretty lame. I just did not get into this one at all. I’m probably going to give Spenser a break after this one.
January 7, 2008
ok, was well written, and kept me hanging on, like his other books. i have 2 complaints, tho. #1, i do NOT like how he take "charge" or guardianship over a 15 year old boy in the previous book, and then we do not hear about him again. so, is he ignorning the boy just like the boy's own parents do/did? #2, the main character's whole logic on what is and is not cheating, or is ok cheating, is total B.S. cheating is cheating, end of discussion, and NONE of it is NOT ok!!!
October 14, 2021
Another fun entry in the series even if it was kind of Looking for Rachel Wallace Part 2. I think the original works better as the dynamic between Rachel and Spenser was completely devoid of any will-they-won't-they for obvious reasons and so relied on the tension caused between their ideological and personality differences rather than Spenser thinking she's hot. This one sees Spenser in L.A., which I'm obviously gonna like as to me it is THE capital of private eye stories. Readers of A Savage Place also see Spenser as more of a human being prone to mistakes rather than the infallible smartass hardman of the previous entries, with him making mistakes both in private life and professional. All good stuff! The usual short length and propulsive plot as well as Parker's great gift with dialogue keep things moving to a satisfying if moody conclusion.
May 30, 2018
A solid 4 star read from the great Robert B. Parker- and I added another star for - well, Robert B. Parker! I'm sure I am only a few here on Goodreads who never finished the Spenser series- I am reading them in order - Yes, for the first time and enjoying them. Same goes for the Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall series as well.... Great stories (yes, time dated) but a good , solid , police procedure/detective, PI story if written correctly- is good , either in the 1980's , 1990's, 2000's - good is good, great is great - and Robert B . Park was great!!
August 29, 2015
This book is part of the Spenser series. It can be read as a stand alone novel. In this one, Spenser heads out to LA to be a bodyguard for a female reporter who is looking at the movie industry and racketeering.
I am reading these books in order and so far this is the one I liked the least. To me, it didn't have the Spenser hallmarks like the previous novels. Spenser's witty banter was only touched upon and I believe this was the case because the author moved the setting from Boston. The character Spenser is a strong main character but he also needs his terrific surrounding cast like Hawk and Susan. They had no roles in this book and moving this scenery from Boston also took away from the overall atmosphere. I did not care for the LA scene or the female reporter. She seemed too much like a caricature of what the author intended to be a female feminist and instead she was a contradiction.
The only thing that was a highlight of this book was the finale. I like how the main character isn't infallible and the confrontation between Spenser and the villain was a delight to read. Very vivid. Too bad the rest of this book wasn't as good.
I am reading these books in order and so far this is the one I liked the least. To me, it didn't have the Spenser hallmarks like the previous novels. Spenser's witty banter was only touched upon and I believe this was the case because the author moved the setting from Boston. The character Spenser is a strong main character but he also needs his terrific surrounding cast like Hawk and Susan. They had no roles in this book and moving this scenery from Boston also took away from the overall atmosphere. I did not care for the LA scene or the female reporter. She seemed too much like a caricature of what the author intended to be a female feminist and instead she was a contradiction.
The only thing that was a highlight of this book was the finale. I like how the main character isn't infallible and the confrontation between Spenser and the villain was a delight to read. Very vivid. Too bad the rest of this book wasn't as good.
September 17, 2021
I love these books they are short but they are jammed packed with story.
In this book Spencer gets hired to look after a TV reporter in LA. I was a little put out with Spencer when he made a decision that I disagree with and I am not 100% sure to Susan would approve either even though Spencer thinks she will be OK.
This case does not go well for Spencer and given his character I can only assume that this case may well haunt Spencer.
These books are great and well worth the time invested in reading them. I am still not sure how they had not come across my radar until now.
In this book Spencer gets hired to look after a TV reporter in LA. I was a little put out with Spencer when he made a decision that I disagree with and I am not 100% sure to Susan would approve either even though Spencer thinks she will be OK.
This case does not go well for Spencer and given his character I can only assume that this case may well haunt Spencer.
These books are great and well worth the time invested in reading them. I am still not sure how they had not come across my radar until now.
August 2, 2013
Weak 3 stars. Not as interesting as others in the series. Not as much humor.
Spenser is hired as bodyguard for Candy, a TV news reporter. Some readers will not like Candy because she uses sex to get ahead. That didn’t bother me, it’s a character type. But the author using stupidity to move the plot does bother me. Candy did two stupid things I did not like. And the ending was not as good as I’d like.
Something else bothered me. Spenser and Susan are in a committed long term relationship. So why does Spenser have sex with gorgeous Candy in LA? He says that he will tell Susan he had sex with Candy because they are honest with each other. When he is having sex with Candy, Spenser says “This is what it is. It leads to nothing more than the moment.” That is supposed to be ok? Not with me. He’s supposed to be my hero. I wouldn’t mind his multiple partners if he did not have Susan.
The narrator Michael Prichard was very good.
DATA:
This is book #8 in the Spenser series.
Narrative mode: 1st person Spenser. Unabridged audiobook length: 4 hrs and 33 mins (186 - 196 pages). Swearing language: strong including religious swear words, but rarely used. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: one referred to no details. Setting: current day mostly Los Angeles, California. Book copyright: 1981. Genre: PI mystery.
Spenser is hired as bodyguard for Candy, a TV news reporter. Some readers will not like Candy because she uses sex to get ahead. That didn’t bother me, it’s a character type. But the author using stupidity to move the plot does bother me. Candy did two stupid things I did not like. And the ending was not as good as I’d like.
Something else bothered me. Spenser and Susan are in a committed long term relationship. So why does Spenser have sex with gorgeous Candy in LA? He says that he will tell Susan he had sex with Candy because they are honest with each other. When he is having sex with Candy, Spenser says “This is what it is. It leads to nothing more than the moment.” That is supposed to be ok? Not with me. He’s supposed to be my hero. I wouldn’t mind his multiple partners if he did not have Susan.
The narrator Michael Prichard was very good.
DATA:
This is book #8 in the Spenser series.
Narrative mode: 1st person Spenser. Unabridged audiobook length: 4 hrs and 33 mins (186 - 196 pages). Swearing language: strong including religious swear words, but rarely used. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: one referred to no details. Setting: current day mostly Los Angeles, California. Book copyright: 1981. Genre: PI mystery.
December 6, 2017
Meh. I’ve read a handful of Spenser books, and this one wasn’t nearly as good as any of the others. Just rambled, wasn’t hardly developed or connected. And the ending…left me feeling that “huh?” sort of feeling that is annoying. I love Robert Parker’s Spenser series, this one is just not his best one, IMO. Doesn’t mean I won’t pick up another one, though. We can’t none of us be 100% all the time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2018
Spenser flew, first class, to L.A. Very busy with Candy Sloan out there in L.A. California. I am disappointed in Spenser at one spot in the book but I guess if Susan will get over it, I will.
Page 26 . . . Candy's MG was sitting there in the walkway near it. People skirted it to get into the market, shaking their heads; a man suggested to his wife that the driver was an asshole. I felt he'd made his judgment on insufficient evidence.
. . .
Page 174 . . . A little drama doesn't hurt. Brewster got wearily to his feet. The black man muttered "Jesus" as he looked at Brewster's fact.
Samuelson looked at me. "He was difficult to subdue." I said.
"I can tell," Samuelson said.
. . .
Page 26 . . . Candy's MG was sitting there in the walkway near it. People skirted it to get into the market, shaking their heads; a man suggested to his wife that the driver was an asshole. I felt he'd made his judgment on insufficient evidence.
. . .
Page 174 . . . A little drama doesn't hurt. Brewster got wearily to his feet. The black man muttered "Jesus" as he looked at Brewster's fact.
Samuelson looked at me. "He was difficult to subdue." I said.
"I can tell," Samuelson said.
. . .
October 25, 2017
In this story, he gets away from a lot of the fixtures, and we get a plot and some feelings on several pages. It is funny, with superbly wise-ass dialogue.
June 28, 2021
I'm a professional, skilled bodyguard! I
1. drink on the job
2. have sex with the client
3. go on a rampage when *gasp* the above things indirectly lead to the death of my client
Gimme a break. If you're gonna characterize someone as skilled, back it up with evidence. This was fun, and had some clever quips, but the above things soured it a bit. 2.75/5
1. drink on the job
2. have sex with the client
3. go on a rampage when *gasp* the above things indirectly lead to the death of my client
Gimme a break. If you're gonna characterize someone as skilled, back it up with evidence. This was fun, and had some clever quips, but the above things soured it a bit. 2.75/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2016
A Savage Place brought Boston P.I. Spenser to early ‘80s Los Angeles.
Spenser accepts a bodyguard gig in LA, protecting reporter Candy Sloan. After Candy begins digging into organized crime infiltration of a major Hollywood studio, she becomes the target of intimidation and attacks. Spenser attempts to keep Candy safe, even as her story brings them up against a wall of silence and threats of retribution from some dangerous and powerful people.
A Savage Place was one of the outings where author Robert B. Parker took Spenser away from his usual Boston stomping grounds for most of the book. Seeing Spenser adapt to a new environment was always an enjoyable aspect of the series and his visit to Hollywood didn’t disappoint. He encountered an array of colorful movie world figures, corporate types, thugs and other creatures of LA in the early ‘80s. The plot was fairly straightforward, not even really a mystery, but Spenser having Hollywood adventures was a pretty sturdy premise.
The interest of A Savage Place was seeing Spenser do his thing in unfamiliar territory. Parker devised some well-written cat-and-mouse sequences, some tense, violent standoffs and an explosive finale that kept Spenser straddling that ever-blurry line between hero and vigilante. Parker used the story to explore Spenser’s rather singular code of honor, while also parsing the unique parameters of the detective’s “committed” relationship with the absent Susan Silverman. It was the kind of “action story as character exploration” concept that Parker always did rather well.
The Los Angeles Novel is a venerable tradition across a variety of genres. Writers from all corners of the literary world have given the City of Angels a vicious going over. Parker certainly noted the absurdities of early ‘80s LA that one would expect. But he wasn’t overly mean about it. If Parker passed some less than flattering judgments on the city, he also displayed, through his lead character, an odd fondness for it. It was a more generous assessment than LA received from a host of other writers.
A Savage Place was a solid entry in the Spenser series, with some deft character work and an action-heavy story that uses its protagonist to good effect.
Spenser accepts a bodyguard gig in LA, protecting reporter Candy Sloan. After Candy begins digging into organized crime infiltration of a major Hollywood studio, she becomes the target of intimidation and attacks. Spenser attempts to keep Candy safe, even as her story brings them up against a wall of silence and threats of retribution from some dangerous and powerful people.
A Savage Place was one of the outings where author Robert B. Parker took Spenser away from his usual Boston stomping grounds for most of the book. Seeing Spenser adapt to a new environment was always an enjoyable aspect of the series and his visit to Hollywood didn’t disappoint. He encountered an array of colorful movie world figures, corporate types, thugs and other creatures of LA in the early ‘80s. The plot was fairly straightforward, not even really a mystery, but Spenser having Hollywood adventures was a pretty sturdy premise.
The interest of A Savage Place was seeing Spenser do his thing in unfamiliar territory. Parker devised some well-written cat-and-mouse sequences, some tense, violent standoffs and an explosive finale that kept Spenser straddling that ever-blurry line between hero and vigilante. Parker used the story to explore Spenser’s rather singular code of honor, while also parsing the unique parameters of the detective’s “committed” relationship with the absent Susan Silverman. It was the kind of “action story as character exploration” concept that Parker always did rather well.
The Los Angeles Novel is a venerable tradition across a variety of genres. Writers from all corners of the literary world have given the City of Angels a vicious going over. Parker certainly noted the absurdities of early ‘80s LA that one would expect. But he wasn’t overly mean about it. If Parker passed some less than flattering judgments on the city, he also displayed, through his lead character, an odd fondness for it. It was a more generous assessment than LA received from a host of other writers.
A Savage Place was a solid entry in the Spenser series, with some deft character work and an action-heavy story that uses its protagonist to good effect.
November 8, 2012
This has got to be the worst private eye novel ever written.
Spenser is even more arrogant and conceited than ever. He tells the girl that nobody can kill him... Really?
Parker pretends to know L.A. I thought he messed up a bit by mentioning Marineland. My recollection was that Marineland had already gone bankrupt and been closed for several years in 1981, but apparently that was not the case, apparently they lasted until 1987. Parker describes some L.A. places like he visited once or twice, even gets the names of some streets right, etc. He even seems to know the directions that the freeways run.
Spenser spends the entire novel acting tough, taking the law into his own hands and despite having a clever wit, makes the reader dislike his flawed moral system and idiotic macho man act. At the end, like all of the Spenser novels I've read he goes BESERK!
How do you turn a hundred page novel into 185 pages? Mention food over and over again. Describe dinners and eating establishments until your readers either gain or lose an appetite.
You don't believe me?
Chapter three. Pineapple and whole wheat toast.
Chapter five.. Canned soup. Pasta with cream sause. Later in chapter. Hamburger at hamburger hamlet. Custard lulu.
Chapter nine. Medium rare butterflied lamb chops with asparagus.
Chapter ten. Corned beef
Chapter 12. Nacho supremes
Chapter 15. Cheeses bread. Apple. Pear. Wine. Country pate.
Chapter 19. Lunch at the Mandarin. Mongolian lamb with scallions. Minced squab
Chapter 20. Grilled bagels. Cream cheeses. Jam
Chapter 22 Bacon tomatoes lettuce bread. Six pack of beer
Chapter 23. Veal medallions
Chapter 24. Burrito
Final verdict... A real stinker. I find little about Spenser to like. Why I keep trying I don't know.
Spenser is even more arrogant and conceited than ever. He tells the girl that nobody can kill him... Really?
Parker pretends to know L.A. I thought he messed up a bit by mentioning Marineland. My recollection was that Marineland had already gone bankrupt and been closed for several years in 1981, but apparently that was not the case, apparently they lasted until 1987. Parker describes some L.A. places like he visited once or twice, even gets the names of some streets right, etc. He even seems to know the directions that the freeways run.
Spenser spends the entire novel acting tough, taking the law into his own hands and despite having a clever wit, makes the reader dislike his flawed moral system and idiotic macho man act. At the end, like all of the Spenser novels I've read he goes BESERK!
How do you turn a hundred page novel into 185 pages? Mention food over and over again. Describe dinners and eating establishments until your readers either gain or lose an appetite.
You don't believe me?
Chapter three. Pineapple and whole wheat toast.
Chapter five.. Canned soup. Pasta with cream sause. Later in chapter. Hamburger at hamburger hamlet. Custard lulu.
Chapter nine. Medium rare butterflied lamb chops with asparagus.
Chapter ten. Corned beef
Chapter 12. Nacho supremes
Chapter 15. Cheeses bread. Apple. Pear. Wine. Country pate.
Chapter 19. Lunch at the Mandarin. Mongolian lamb with scallions. Minced squab
Chapter 20. Grilled bagels. Cream cheeses. Jam
Chapter 22 Bacon tomatoes lettuce bread. Six pack of beer
Chapter 23. Veal medallions
Chapter 24. Burrito
Final verdict... A real stinker. I find little about Spenser to like. Why I keep trying I don't know.
April 6, 2024
Los Angeles TV reporter Candy Sloan is in danger, after investigating labour racketeering in Hollywood’s movie industry. Spenser is hired, after a referral by Rachel Wallance, to keep Candy safe until the story breaks, but doesn’t realise quite how far she is willing go to secure her headline. As the bodycount rises and sinister connections become apparent, it’s clear her unorthodox approach isn’t his only concern.
A neat and brisk novel, this is relatively light on plot - though it’s as perfectly constructed, as ever - and Candy Sloan is a good foil for Spenser. Her character is nicely done, even if the sexual politics feel dated (this was published in 1981) and the way she and Spenser work together makes for some sparky dialogue. The denouement is a shock and the way Spenser deals with it works well and I remember, from the other books, that the event haunts him later. Lt Samuelson is a good character, a Quirk in LA, but I really did miss Susan and Hawk and I felt sorry for her after one particular incident. With LA being the focus for the bulk of the story, there are a lot of references to the city of Angels so it does, at times, come across like a travelogue and made me miss Boston. Having said that, this is well-told and well worth a read. Very much recommended.
A neat and brisk novel, this is relatively light on plot - though it’s as perfectly constructed, as ever - and Candy Sloan is a good foil for Spenser. Her character is nicely done, even if the sexual politics feel dated (this was published in 1981) and the way she and Spenser work together makes for some sparky dialogue. The denouement is a shock and the way Spenser deals with it works well and I remember, from the other books, that the event haunts him later. Lt Samuelson is a good character, a Quirk in LA, but I really did miss Susan and Hawk and I felt sorry for her after one particular incident. With LA being the focus for the bulk of the story, there are a lot of references to the city of Angels so it does, at times, come across like a travelogue and made me miss Boston. Having said that, this is well-told and well worth a read. Very much recommended.
March 9, 2009
This was probably my least favorite book of the Spenser
series. He was on location in Hollywood to protect a TV
reporter investigating corruption and racketeering in the
movie industry. I didn't like the reporter, Candy Sloan,
but thought Spenser liked her too much.
A classic Spenser line was "I'm a romantic. Agreements are
useless with romantics."
There was a good description of Los Angeles: "But L.A. was
like nothing I'd ever seen. I didn't know any place like it for sprall, for the apparently idosyncratic mix of homes and business
and shopping malls. There was no center, no fixed point for taking bearings. It arched and spralled and disarrayed all over the peculiar landscape--garish and fascinating and impressive and
silly, smelling really of bougainvillea and engive emissions,
full of trees and grass and flowers and neon and pretense. And
off to the northeast, beyond the Hollywood Hills, above the smog,
and far from Disneyland were the mountains with snow on their
peaks."
series. He was on location in Hollywood to protect a TV
reporter investigating corruption and racketeering in the
movie industry. I didn't like the reporter, Candy Sloan,
but thought Spenser liked her too much.
A classic Spenser line was "I'm a romantic. Agreements are
useless with romantics."
There was a good description of Los Angeles: "But L.A. was
like nothing I'd ever seen. I didn't know any place like it for sprall, for the apparently idosyncratic mix of homes and business
and shopping malls. There was no center, no fixed point for taking bearings. It arched and spralled and disarrayed all over the peculiar landscape--garish and fascinating and impressive and
silly, smelling really of bougainvillea and engive emissions,
full of trees and grass and flowers and neon and pretense. And
off to the northeast, beyond the Hollywood Hills, above the smog,
and far from Disneyland were the mountains with snow on their
peaks."
April 16, 2024
This book was hard to read at times.
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨spoilers ahead🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
“For something as large as it is, death doesn’t look like much at first.” No kidding Spenser
Set in the backdrop of the greater LA area….Candy was the client and I wished Spenser never took this job. Candy was poison and her ambition and trying to not be seen as a pretty face got her killed. AND almost got Spenser killed too.
Ugh. What a mess! She was selfish and horribly misguided in her quest. Spenser cheated on Susan with her too. Ick. That whole convo after was definitely enlightening 👀👀🫣🫣🫣
Spenser solved it in the end for Candy. The irony is not lost on me. Mob connection to the movie industry was the basic case. In LA, this isn’t exactly breaking news. Candy died over it plus a bunch of other people. The stuntman who died because of Candy and the cavalierly way she treated him was based on the strength of her poor character. I hated Candy. She honestly got what she deserved and hopefully is never mentioned again.
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨spoilers ahead🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
“For something as large as it is, death doesn’t look like much at first.” No kidding Spenser
Set in the backdrop of the greater LA area….Candy was the client and I wished Spenser never took this job. Candy was poison and her ambition and trying to not be seen as a pretty face got her killed. AND almost got Spenser killed too.
Ugh. What a mess! She was selfish and horribly misguided in her quest. Spenser cheated on Susan with her too. Ick. That whole convo after was definitely enlightening 👀👀🫣🫣🫣
Spenser solved it in the end for Candy. The irony is not lost on me. Mob connection to the movie industry was the basic case. In LA, this isn’t exactly breaking news. Candy died over it plus a bunch of other people. The stuntman who died because of Candy and the cavalierly way she treated him was based on the strength of her poor character. I hated Candy. She honestly got what she deserved and hopefully is never mentioned again.
March 18, 2012
A very old Spenser that I had somehow missed. It was set in Los Angeles with Spenser 'protecting' a female TV Reporter investigating a big story from some bad doers. Spenser even in Los Angeles stays Spenser, but his cohorts are not around and he is a bit more macho that in later works. All in all, it was a nice discovery for me and fun reading.
December 14, 2015
Set in L.A., not Boston.
A somewhat interesting take on L.A. by Parker.
Not the best Spenser book, not the worst. Spenser is not quite himself in this novel.
I wonder if this book could have been written as a stand alone, and then Parker decided to make it a Spenser novel.
The best thing this book has going for it is that Parker did not choose the "Hollywood" ending.
A somewhat interesting take on L.A. by Parker.
Not the best Spenser book, not the worst. Spenser is not quite himself in this novel.
I wonder if this book could have been written as a stand alone, and then Parker decided to make it a Spenser novel.
The best thing this book has going for it is that Parker did not choose the "Hollywood" ending.
January 22, 2015
Great as usual, but not my favorite Spenser novel. He has a little problem in this one (I won't mention what the problem is). No Hawk or Susan, so not the usual funny dialogue in this one. Still a great read though!
February 12, 2018
The eighth novel in the Spenser series opens with a quote from the Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem Kubla Khan. It is a symbol that marks an important change in the context of the Boston P.I’s next case. Spenser has received a referral from his former client Rachel Walling who tells him a woman named Candy Sloan, a reporter for KNBS-TV in Los Angeles, will be getting in touch with him. Candy is an investigative reporter hot on the tail of an important story about mob connections to the film industry. But as she tried to get more details about the scam she uncovered, she received several threats and believes her life is in danger. It began with a simple phone call but more recently Candy has been followed home by the same car three nights in a row. The station is concerned about her safety and has agreed to pay for a bodyguard. With few other details available, Spenser agrees to accept the case and heads for California.
When he arrives in Los Angeles, Candy gives him a day to relax and get his bearings and they agree to meet the next morning. But Candy does not arrive to pick him up as they had planned. Spenser learns from her stunt man and sometime boyfriend Mickey Rafferty that Candy was beaten up the night before by a thug who dragged her into the back of a van. He told her he would not kill her this time, but he would if she continued to snoop around.
Spenser learns that Candy knows an individual who witnessed a payoff between Sam Felton a producer at Summit Studios and a thug on the set of the movie “Savage Cycles”. No one else knows his identity except the police and her news director. She has no other documentary evidence so her entire story is dependent on her star witness.
When Candy presents producer Sam Felton and the head of the studio Peter Brewster with the allegations to give them a chance to comment before reporting her finding as news, they each deny any knowledge of labor racketeering, payoffs or kickbacks at the studio.
And then Rafferty is found dead with three bullets in his chest.
As Candy continues to try to get more details for the story which is so important for her career, her need for protection increases and she and Spenser spend more time together. The two begin to enjoy each other’s company and Spenser sleeps with her. With Susan back in Boston taking another summer course at Harvard, Spenser feels free to respond to Candy’s friendly advances. She is beautiful and available and he likes her. He does not see this as betraying Susan and is still committed to her. As he explains to Candy, sleeping with her is simply an affair of the flesh which leads nowhere and has no significance in the grand scheme of things. It is sexual desire satisfied, a form of affectionate lust. When Candy asks him if he will tell Susan, he says he would never do anything he wouldn’t tell Susan about. But he only sleeps with Candy once. If he did it again, he would see that as a betrayal because it would become something more than the pleasure of a physical moment, something more than he gave it the first time. This is how he has rationalized his behavior with his code of conduct, the principles he lives by.
Spenser fails to protect Candy and this haunts him. He stays on the case until he can bring the killer to justice and that involves some fists, violence and kidnapping. After he has rounded up those responsible using methods not normally sanctioned by the police, he hands over the criminals to be processed by the legal system. He quickly returns to Boston with the help of Mark Samuelson, the L.A detective on the case who appreciates what Spenser has done and gets him on the plane home instead of taking him in to the police station. They have an understanding Spenser will return to L.A. to testify at the trial.
By placing Spenser in Los Angeles for this case, Parker has removed him from his usual surroundings: a city he knows well, the comfort and support of Susan and the help from his friends and associates. Back in Boston he knows if he needs extra muscle he can always call on Hawk who will arrive quickly with his fists and a gun, whatever is necessary. Spenser also has allies of a sort with the police: Quirk and Belson can always help him by arresting overt trouble makers or turning a blind eye to Spenser's effective methods, methods they are forbidden to use in their roles as police officers. But when Spenser runs into difficulty in L.A. he is in a more vulnerable position without his usual supports.
Spenser finds L.A. a big, sunny, buffoon of a city, corny and ornate and disorganized but fun to visit. The picture Parker paints of L.A.in the early eighties is interesting. He has Spenser spouting off the names of film stars and throwing off comments of its bland architecture and its streets devoid of people. Parker paints it as a city without a soul.
There is no complicated plot in this case and little surprise in the connections revealed between the mob and the film industry. Still, because it takes Spenser out of his normal setting and without his usual supports, it is interesting to see how he copes in this alien city which is so different from his very conservative home in Boston.
Essentially there is little crime detection in this installation and more insight into Spenser the man. Not my favorite book so far, but still an important addition to the series.
When he arrives in Los Angeles, Candy gives him a day to relax and get his bearings and they agree to meet the next morning. But Candy does not arrive to pick him up as they had planned. Spenser learns from her stunt man and sometime boyfriend Mickey Rafferty that Candy was beaten up the night before by a thug who dragged her into the back of a van. He told her he would not kill her this time, but he would if she continued to snoop around.
Spenser learns that Candy knows an individual who witnessed a payoff between Sam Felton a producer at Summit Studios and a thug on the set of the movie “Savage Cycles”. No one else knows his identity except the police and her news director. She has no other documentary evidence so her entire story is dependent on her star witness.
When Candy presents producer Sam Felton and the head of the studio Peter Brewster with the allegations to give them a chance to comment before reporting her finding as news, they each deny any knowledge of labor racketeering, payoffs or kickbacks at the studio.
And then Rafferty is found dead with three bullets in his chest.
As Candy continues to try to get more details for the story which is so important for her career, her need for protection increases and she and Spenser spend more time together. The two begin to enjoy each other’s company and Spenser sleeps with her. With Susan back in Boston taking another summer course at Harvard, Spenser feels free to respond to Candy’s friendly advances. She is beautiful and available and he likes her. He does not see this as betraying Susan and is still committed to her. As he explains to Candy, sleeping with her is simply an affair of the flesh which leads nowhere and has no significance in the grand scheme of things. It is sexual desire satisfied, a form of affectionate lust. When Candy asks him if he will tell Susan, he says he would never do anything he wouldn’t tell Susan about. But he only sleeps with Candy once. If he did it again, he would see that as a betrayal because it would become something more than the pleasure of a physical moment, something more than he gave it the first time. This is how he has rationalized his behavior with his code of conduct, the principles he lives by.
Spenser fails to protect Candy and this haunts him. He stays on the case until he can bring the killer to justice and that involves some fists, violence and kidnapping. After he has rounded up those responsible using methods not normally sanctioned by the police, he hands over the criminals to be processed by the legal system. He quickly returns to Boston with the help of Mark Samuelson, the L.A detective on the case who appreciates what Spenser has done and gets him on the plane home instead of taking him in to the police station. They have an understanding Spenser will return to L.A. to testify at the trial.
By placing Spenser in Los Angeles for this case, Parker has removed him from his usual surroundings: a city he knows well, the comfort and support of Susan and the help from his friends and associates. Back in Boston he knows if he needs extra muscle he can always call on Hawk who will arrive quickly with his fists and a gun, whatever is necessary. Spenser also has allies of a sort with the police: Quirk and Belson can always help him by arresting overt trouble makers or turning a blind eye to Spenser's effective methods, methods they are forbidden to use in their roles as police officers. But when Spenser runs into difficulty in L.A. he is in a more vulnerable position without his usual supports.
Spenser finds L.A. a big, sunny, buffoon of a city, corny and ornate and disorganized but fun to visit. The picture Parker paints of L.A.in the early eighties is interesting. He has Spenser spouting off the names of film stars and throwing off comments of its bland architecture and its streets devoid of people. Parker paints it as a city without a soul.
There is no complicated plot in this case and little surprise in the connections revealed between the mob and the film industry. Still, because it takes Spenser out of his normal setting and without his usual supports, it is interesting to see how he copes in this alien city which is so different from his very conservative home in Boston.
Essentially there is little crime detection in this installation and more insight into Spenser the man. Not my favorite book so far, but still an important addition to the series.
June 25, 2020
A 'tour de murder’ in Hollywood that is not only a guided tour to the elite Hotels, restaurants, but also thechi-chi streets and avenues: not as pristine as they appear.
It seems that there is always a dirty underbelly in Southern California that draws the sharpies, mob wannabes, andegotistical self-satisfied movie executives just under the surface.
In this installment of Spenser, he is a bodyguard for hire who could have done better, much better, with Hawk orSixkill as his companion.
It seems that there is always a dirty underbelly in Southern California that draws the sharpies, mob wannabes, andegotistical self-satisfied movie executives just under the surface.
In this installment of Spenser, he is a bodyguard for hire who could have done better, much better, with Hawk orSixkill as his companion.
February 5, 2024
le mot juste:
p52: She had kicked her shoes off and now she put her stockinged feet up on the low cement railing of the balcony.
p95: Samuelson let himself down in a push-up position to look at the cement floor under a white Pontiac Phoenix with a rented-car sticker in the lower left corner of the windshield.
He must be so devastated. Those guys had it coming.
p52: She had kicked her shoes off and now she put her stockinged feet up on the low cement railing of the balcony.
p95: Samuelson let himself down in a push-up position to look at the cement floor under a white Pontiac Phoenix with a rented-car sticker in the lower left corner of the windshield.
He must be so devastated. Those guys had it coming.
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