Now and Then

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It's a happy day when UPS brings me a new Spenser novel. I've been reading the series since 1975, and this is number 35.

Things kick off when Spenser is hired by a moody husband to investigate what his wife has been doing behind his back. That turns out to be all too easy for Spenser, and it's pretty depressing and sordid. But the mere act of bringing it out in the open has its own repercussions, and pretty soon a couple people wind up dead.

A recurring theme over the past few books is that Spenser's clients always regret hiring him. I wonder if that's intentional on Parker's part?

The book's title reflects that Spenser's client's situation is similar to what happened to Spenser himself years ago, when his beloved Susan took off with another man. So there's a lot of discussion between Spenser and Susan about that; longtime readers will know either to lap it up or skip over it, as their tastes dictate. But—gasp!—there's an indication here that the Spenser/Susan relationship may actually be heading for a change.

If I had to quibble, it's with the bad guy. Without giving away too much of the plot: I don't really understand why he does what he does.


Last Modified 2024-02-02 4:18 AM EDT