Paul W. (BookLovers) reviewed Robert B. Parker's Cheap Shot (Spenser, Bk 42) on + 60 more book reviews
Felt like it was written by RBP - just the right amount of action and laughs, especially the dialogue between Spenser and Hawk. Greatly enjoyed it.
When I heard that the Spenser series was going to continue after Robert B. Parker's death, I was skeptical about the ability of another author's ability to capture the nuances of Spenser and his supporting cast with any degree of success. I was very pleasantly surprised by Mr. Atkins' first two outings, Lullaby and Wonderland, but unfortunately Cheap Shot has realized my worst fears. The dialogue in this one felt forced and the plot was thin in my opinion, riddled with meaningless red herrings whose only function seemed to be extending the length of the novel rather than enhancing the story. Characterizations felt off, almost as if they had been dropped into a story not their own. I hope that the next novel, Kickback, will get the series back on track.
