Hawk used his key to open Spenser’s door and came inside. He set his suitcase down and walked towards the living room of the apartment.“Spenser! You are not going to believe what happened to me in Burma. I had to kill more people than cancer. It was just insane and…..,” Hawk stopped short when he saw a thin Hispanic man standing in the living room.“Who the hell are you?” Hawk asked.Before the man could say anything, Spenser walked in from the hall and stopped in surprise.“Hawk! When did you get back?” Spenser asked“Just now. I came here straight from the airport. I thought we could go get a drink, and I’d tell you about Burma,” Hawk said. “Who’s this guy?”“Oh, this is Chollo. Chollo, this is my friend Hawk,” Spenser said.“Chollo? Isn’t that the guy who worked for that Latino gangster out in LA you met a while back?” Hawk said. “What’s he doing here?”“I needed some help with something so I gave him a call, and he was nice enough to come out here and lend a hand,” Spenser said.“Wait a second. I’m gone a couple of days and you go out and get someone new to back you up?” Hawk said.“It’s not a big deal, Hawk,” Spenser said.“Not a big deal? Did you two confront some criminals and make smart ass comments?” Hawk asked.“Sure we did. It was pretty fun. Spenser sure can piss people off,” Chollo said.“Oh, I know he can piss people off. I’ve been watching his back for years while he smart mouthed all kinds of gangsters while you were out in La-La Land with your movie stars,” Hawk said. He looked back at Spenser. “I suppose you two did a stakeout, too?”“Yeah, we did have to watch this place for a while from the car,” Spenser said sheepishly.“And did you drink coffee and eat doughnuts and make jokes based on the stereotypes of your different ethnic backgrounds?” Hawk demanded.“Yes, but….” Spenser said.“You’re unbelievable!” Hawk said. “That’s OUR thing. I leave town for five minutes, and you pick up some two-bit hoodlum and start doing all our favorite things. Next you’ll be telling me you two got in a gunfight.”“Weeelllllll……,” Spenser said.“You son-of-a-bitch,” Hawk said.“Just let me explain. You know my buddy Frank Belson? The cop? Well, he just got married recently and his wife went missing. I was trying to help find her and the trail led to a really tough area with a mostly Hispanic population. Since you were gone, and I needed someone who speaks Spanish, I gave Chollo a call. What else was I supposed to do? You were out of town,” Spenser said.“I was out of town trying to earn some money which I desperately needed because I spend most of my time helping your broke ass and never getting paid for it,” Hawk said. “And don’t even tell me you actually gave this guy cash.”“Of course not. You know I don’t pay my sidekicks,” Spenser said.“Sidekick?” Chollo said.“Oh, now he’s your sidekick,” Hawk said.“I’m nobody’s sidekick,” Chollo said.“That wasn’t what I meant. He just helped me out in a pinch,” Spenser said. “And I’ll be honest with you, Hawk. It was kind of fun. He had new jokes and stories I haven’t heard a hundred times before. Admit it. We’ve been in a rut.”“A rut? Are you breaking up with me?” Hawk said.“Wait. What’s going on here? I thought you were straight,” Chollo said to Spenser. “You kept going on and on about your stupid girlfriend.”“It’s a partner break-up he’s talking about,” Spenser said.“Oh, so we are breaking up?” Hawk asked.“Are you sure you two aren’t a couple? Because that’s what it’s sounding like,” Chollo said. “You can tell me. I may shoot people, but I'm not a bigot. And this is getting kinda weird.”“Don’t play innocent, Chollo. You have to know that you’re replacing me,” Hawk said. He wiped a tear from his eye.“Replacing you? I’m on a plane back to LA this afternoon. I’m not replacing you,” Chollo said.“Really?” Hawk asked hopefully to Spenser. “He’s not staying? But what about all that stuff about us being in a rut?”“You big silly. You know I could never find a better man to help me with my cases. I just want us to find new ways to go around smacking people in the mouth and shooting bad guys,” Spenser said. “I’ve got an idea. There’s this new case I’m going to be working, and I think it’ll mean going out to Las Vegas. You come with me, and we’ll make it a working vacation. We could rekindle our partnership.”“Is Susan coming?” Hawk asked.“Yeah, but we can just tell her were working and leave her in the hotel room most of the time,” Spenser said.More tears welled up in Hawk’s eyes. The two men began hugging.“I missed you so much,” Spenser whispered. “Let’s never fight again,” Hawk said“Uh…guys?” Chollo said. “I hate to break this up, but I need a ride to the airport. Spenser was going to take me, but we’re running late now. So maybe……Guys?.... That is one long hug….. Forget it. I’ll just call a cab.”Next Up: In Chance, Spenser finds out that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Especially dead hookers in shallow graves.
I listened to the audiobook of this story rather than read my ebook copy for a change of pace. The narrator does a pretty good job. Some of his voices though were so downright silly, I laughed where I probably shouldn't have because of them. My biggest problem is he runs all the chapters together, rather than saying "chapter one," etc. It's a small thing, but I would like to know what chapter I'm in.I liked this book, but it really drove me nuts. After 20+ stories from only Spenser's POV, suddenly having it from two is insanely jarring. The suspense of finding out about what happened to Lisa is completely ruined as we learn what happened from her own perspective and why it happened. It's also been a while since I read a Spenser book and I forgot how much Mr. Parker loved the f-word. At least the book's not drowning in it and I'm used to it from him. And, once more, a previously introduced character is wasted in this book. He's used simply to reference he's still around in the world and worried over an injured officer he knows. The introduction of Chollo seems to be a way of having Hawk there without having him there. He has a similar personality as Hawk and some of his same mannerisms, but not as likable.Overall, I liked the book but I didn't like having the suspense ruined. I enjoy the series enough I will continue with it, but hope this isn't going to be the norm for the rest of it. The series is called Spenser for a reason, isn't it?
What do You think about Thin Air (1996)?
This story is the type I like, fast moving, not dwelling too much on irrelevant characters and just plain entertaining. I haven't read Parker before so it was a pleasant surprise although I liken him to Patterson based on this single read. Never going to blow your mind with twists and turns but will keep you occupied for hours. One interesting thing that made this one better was the fact that it was printed in 1995, the paper is white and thick and for a used book it was immaculate making it a joy to hold and read. Sounds a bit neurotic maybe but a book liek this is one of the reasons I am hesitating on making the move to E-readers, especially when you compare this to some of the cheaper prints today and they are just harder and not a pleasant to read. My story anyhow...
—Tim
Thin air is what Lisa St Claire has vanished into, at least that’s how it seems to her husband, Boston cop Frank Belson. But then, Lisa is young and very pretty, and poor old Frank’s getting on in years, so what can he expect?Private Eye Spenser knows Frank and Lisa and isn’t convinced by the poor old Frank school of thought, and when someone takes a shot at Frank, Spenser becomes even more convinced that there’s some other reason for Lisa’s disappearance. In fact the reader knows there is another reason; because we’ve witnessed her abduction on page one, though we’re not sure who’s responsible or why, or exactly what’s going on. Spenser’s investigation into Lisa’s past, before her marriage, takes him deep into a history of abuse, alcoholism and prostitution and ultimately to a barrio fortress in a Massachusetts mill town which has become the hub of a power struggle.In the closing chapters, a battle taking place in the streets surrounding the fortress moves into the crumbling walls of the stronghold itself.This was my first Robert B Parker novel, and damned if Parker didn’t die in January 2010. This keeps happening. I try to keep up with authors while they’re still around, but hell, most of these guys had been working at their writing a lifetime before they became well-known enough for any of us to find them.Parker’s writing has been described as Chandleresque, sometimes to the point of self-parody. It is Chandleresque; I didn’t notice any parody myself, but this is the first Parker book I’ve read. I thought his writing had quite a light touch; in this one he seemed to be marrying elements of detective thriller and Western adventure, and I was quite happy to be along for the ride.Detail: Spenser is spelled with an s as in Edmond Spenser, the writer of The Faerie Queen (what?); and the character has no known first name. Probably I will read another one of these.
—Rog Rog
(This isn't quite a complete review as I usually do; the library's book had pages 5 through 19 missing.)Det. Frank Belson, of the Boston P.D., finally found the love of his life with his new wife, Lisa St. Claire. A few weeks after the wedding find Det. Belson in the hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest and Lisa gone, with no packed bags, no keys, no phone or purse...just gone. Spenser (now on the case) has to find Lisa before something bad happens. In the case we find that Lisa, AKA Angela Richard, had escaped an abusive ex and a bad life as a hooker. Can Spenser save Lisa before its too late?Good action and an appearance by Chollo make this a great read...I just wish I had the other pages. Enjoy!
—Metagion
