The Road Less Traveled By

© by Gerald So | 4:30 AM

Star Wars Day 2017 at The Mysterious Bookshop, NYC

On Saturday, my Twitter friend bestselling author Alison Gaylin spread word of her deal to write a continuation of Robert B. Parker's Sunny Randall, succeeding Mike Lupica, whose new two-book deal extends his run on Jesse Stone and picks up Spenser from Ace Atkins.

My professional reaction is at So Much to Talk About. I quote Publishers Weekly's deal announcement and Ace Atkins's response tweet affirming next month's Spenser, ROBERT B. PARKER'S BYE BYE BABY, his tenth, is his last. A more personal take here: Known as a Parker fan since listservs' heyday, I got to interview Ace twice for Crimespree Magazine: two days after he was announced as Spenser continuation author and about his fourth Spenser, ROBERT B. PARKER'S KICKBACK. I asked the incisive questions I knew discerning fans would, and Ace proved himself the most discerning.

Getting to advance-review all of Ace's Spensers and most Parker continuation titles since then, I'm no longer as objective. Though inspired by Raymond Chandler's 1940s–50s Los Angeles P.I. Philip Marlowe and his courtly sense of morality, Parker also made Spenser a man of his time and place, thirty-seven years old in 1973 Boston. That many P.I. characters followed, marking their territory all over the world, shows Parker's influence. His first twelve Spensers had the best sense of an arc. His later entries' lack of arc was to show the perpetuity of Spenser's relationship with Susan Silverman (based on Parker's marriage), but also to keep Spenser a steady moneymaker.

With his first Spenser continuation, ROBERT B. PARKER'S LULLABY, Ace aimed to write a seamless sequel to SIXKILL, Parker's 2011 final Spenser, but he also reengaged Spenser in the now. Carrying over a hallmark of his own style, he based later Spensers on recent true crime like Smallville actress Allison Mack's involvement with the NXVIM cult (ROBERT B. PARKER'S ANGEL EYES) and Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell's egregrious sex offenses (ROBERT B. PARKER'S SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME). His leaving now ensures fans will remember he never simply parroted Parker or rested on his own success.

Cheers, my friend.