2 of 3 copies available
Called upon by The Hammond Museum and renowned art scholar Dr. Ashton Prince, Spenser accepts his latest case: to provide protection during a ransom exchange-money for a stolen painting.
The case becomes personal when Spenser fails to protect his client and the valuable painting remains stolen. Convinced that Ashton Prince played a bigger role than just ransom delivery boy, Spenser enters into a daring game of cat-and-mouse with the thieves. But this is a game he might not come out of alive...
Completed the year before he passed away, Painted Ladies is Spenser and Robert B. Parker at their electrifying best.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Awards
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Release date
October 5, 2010 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780307739193
- File size: 157155 KB
- Duration: 05:27:24
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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August 16, 2010
At the start of the lackluster 38th Spenser novel from late MWA Grand Master Parker, the iconic Boston PI agrees to protect art historian Ashton Prince during the exchange for cash of a rare painting held for ransom, 17th-century Dutch artist Franz Hermenszoon’s Lady with a Finch. When a bomb kills Prince during the botched exchange, Spenser naturally plans to even the score. And naturally, Spenser’s probing—into the painting’s complex history, Prince’s twisted life, the museum that owned the painting—leads to violent reactions. Spenser’s habitual wisecracking often comes across as merely smart-alecky, but as always he backs the attitude with performance. While this crime thriller is short on the kind of grit and character that earned Parker (1932–2010) an Edgar Award and numerous Shamus nominations, fans should still relish this probably final opportunity to enjoy the inimitable Spenser, who made his debut in 1973’s The Godwulf Manuscript. -
Series narrator Joe Mantegna clearly delivers Robert Parker's uncluttered writing and sharp dialogue. He conveys just the right notes of sarcasm and humor to capture both P.I. Spenser's cockiness and his more introspective side. In this novel Spenser seems more inside himself than usual as he works alone (Hawk is AWOL) to unsnarl a tangle of art thefts and moral challenges that have their roots in the Holocaust. The lovely Susan's frequent appearances offer needed breaks in the violence and help maintain the snappy repartee. Although there is rumor of one more book still to be released in the series, fans lament the loss of Parker and his appealing Boston P.I. M.O.B. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
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