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This page lists books that feature the private investigator Spenser.

Spenser was created by Robert B. Parker who wrote 40 novels featuring the private investigator.

A Spenser novel that was unfinished at the time of Parker's death in 2010 was completed by his literary agent Helen Brann and published in 2013.

Six further Spenser novels, written by Ace Atkins, have been published between 2012 and 2017.

The Godwulf Manuscript

Robert B. Parker

1973

A Spenser novel.

"The first in the series featuring private detective Spenser, sees Spenser hired to return a rare stolen fourteenth-century manuscript to its rightful owners, a Boston university who has hired him. Spenser earned his degree in the school of hard knocks so he is hardly surprised that his only clue is a radical student with four bullets in his chest. The investigation soon leads him into a complex web of murder, radical politics, adultery, drugs and organised crime. The cops are ready to throw the book at the pretty blond coed whose prints are all over the murder weapon but Spenser knows there are no easy answers. He tackles some very heavy homework and knows that if he doesn't finish his assignment soon, he could end up marked D -- for dead."

God Save the Child

Robert B. Parker

1974

A Spenser novel.

"Appie Knoll is the kind of suburb where kids grow up right. But something is wrong. Fourteen-year-old Kevin Bartlett disappears. Everyone thinks he's run away -- until the comic strip ransom note arrives. It doesn't take Spenser long to get the picture -- an affluent family seething with rage, a desperate boy making strange friends...friends like Vic Harroway, body builder. Mr. Muscle is Spenser's only lead and he isn't talking...except with his fists. But when push comes to shove, when a boy's life is on the line, Spenser can speak that language too."

Mortal Stakes

Robert B. Parker

1975

A Spenser novel.

"Everybody loves a winner, and the Rabbs are major league. Marty is the Red Sox star pitcher, Linda the loving wife. She loves everyone except the blackmailer out to wreck her life. Is Marty throwing fast balls or throwing games? It doesn't take long for Spenser to link Marty's performance with Linda's past...or to find himself trapped between a crazed racketeer and an enforcer toting an M-16. America's favorite pastime has suddenly become a very dangerous sport, and one wrong move means strike three, with Spenser out for good!"

Promised Land

Robert B. Parker

1976

A Spenser novel.

"Spenser is a wisecracking former boxer turned private investigator and he is just settling into his new office when enters Harv Shepard, a beleaguered businessman who is looking for someone to help locate his runaway wife. So begins Promised Land, the fourth novel by Robert Parker, that follows the exploits of his cerebral but tough character, detective Spenser. Why Harv Shepard's wife abandoned her family and exactly where she has gone comprise only half the intrigue in this story, though Spenser soon discovers that Harv is a man in deep trouble, involved with a crooked loan shark and tangled in an ailing business venture."

The Judas Goat

Robert B. Parker

1978

A Spenser novel.

"Spenser has gone to London -- and not to see the Queen. He's gone to track down a bunch of bombers who've blown away his client's wife and kids. His job is to catch them. Or kill them. His client isn't choosy. But there are nine killers to one Spenser -- long odds. Hawk helps balance the equation. The rest depends on a wild plan. Spenser will get one of the terrorists to play Judas Goat -- to lead him to others. Trouble is, he hasn't counted on her being very blond, very beautiful and very dangerous."

Looking for Rachel Wallace

Robert B. Parker

1980

A Spenser novel.

"Rachel Wallace is a woman who writes and speaks her mind. She has made a lot of enemies - enemies who threaten her life. Spenser is the tough guy with a macho code of honor, hired to protect a woman who thinks that code is obsolete. Privately, they will never see eye to eye. That's why she fires him. But when Rachel vanishes, Spenser rattles skeletons in blue-blooded family closets, tangles with the Klan and fights for her right to be exactly what she is. He is ready to lay his life on the line to find Rachel Wallace."

Early Autumn

Robert B. Parker

1981

A Spenser novel.

"A bitter divorce results in a father ordering the kidnapping of his own son, and private detective Spenser is hired by the mother to get her boy back. But when Spenser senses the lay of the land, he decides to do some kidnapping of his own, and soon finds there is a contract out on his own life."

A Savage Place

Robert B. Parker

1981

A Spenser novel.

"TV reporter Candy Sloan is in danger, after investigating labour racketeering in Hollywood's movie industry. Someone isn't happy about it. Spenser is hired to keep Candy safe until the story breaks, but when he discovers quite how far she is willing go to secure her headline, he begins to have second thoughts about the job. But soon her unorthodox approach isn't his only concern."

Ceremony

Robert B. Parker

1982

A Spenser novel.

"Boston private eye Spenser's search for a missing high school girl takes him to Boston's Compat Zone, to high-class, specialty brothels, and back to the straight world whose righteous facade overlap pervasive corruption."

The Widening Gyre

Robert B. Parker

1983

A Spenser novel.

"When a senatorial candidate's seemingly perfect wife becomes the target of blackmailers, Spenser quickly becomes embroiled in a world where political ambition often extends into corruption and violence."

Valediction

Robert B. Parker

1984

A Spenser novel.

"When a religious sect kidnap a young dancer, a hit man's bullet soon has Spenser's name on it. But the most dangerous man to cross is the one who isn't afraid to die, and Spenser has just lost the woman who made his life worth living."

A Catskill Eagle

Robert B. Parker

1985

A Spenser novel.

"When Susan Silverman disappears with the heir to an underground weapons empire, Spenser breaks sidekick Hawk out of jail to help him with the search for her. But they also need the help of the CIA, and favours from the agency don't come cheap."

Taming a Sea-Horse

Robert B. Parker

1986

A Spenser novel.

"Spenser's concern for teenage prostitute April Kyle leads him to Robert Rambeaux, her pimp. Another of Rambeaux's hookers, Ginger Buckey, is found dead shortly afterwards. When April disappears, Spenser traces a deadly relationship between sex, money and power that is not limited solely to the world of prostitution."

Pale Kings and Princes

Robert B. Parker

1987

A Spenser novel.

"When a young journalist researching the cocaine trade in a small Massachusetts town is found murdered, private detective Spenser is called in to find out who is responsible. Wheaton isn't just any small town though - Spenser soon discovers it's one of the biggest cocaine distribution centres in the Northeast. But the local drugs cartel are not the only suspects - did the journalist get too close to the truth, or too close to the wife of a very jealous man?"

Crimson Joy

Robert B. Parker

1988

A Spenser novel.

"Private detective Spenser is on the case of a serial killer with an unusual calling card - he leaves a red rose on the body of each of his victims. And when the madman targets Susan Silverman, Spenser's resolve is strengthened and he determines to find the murderer no matter what the risk."

Playmates

Robert B. Parker

1989

A Spenser novel.

"When Spenser is hired to look into rumours of match fixing in university basketball, his investigations lead him deep into the gambling underworld - and into the most dangerous job of his career."

Stardust

Robert B. Parker

1990

A Spenser novel.

"When Spenser is hired to protect glamorous star Jill Joyce from an anonymous harasser, he gets more than he bargained for. The stalking is growing steadily more sinister and Spenser fears it could soon turn into murder."

Pastime

Robert B. Parker

1991

A Spenser novel.

"Ten years ago, Spenser saved a teenage boy from his father's rage. Now, in his twenties, the son is seeking answers to his mother's sudden disappearance. And once again, Spenser is the only one he can turn to."

Double Deuce

Robert B. Parker

1992

A Spenser novel.

"Double Deuce is a forgotten neighbourhood, home to some of Boston's toughest gangs. Private detective Spenser and his sidekick, Hawk, have been tasked with cleaning up the area. But before they can begin, Spenser must take on the teenage thugs and gain control of the streets."

Paper Doll

Robert B. Parker

1993

A Spenser novel.

"Hired by an aristocrat who refuses to believe that his wife's brutal street-slaying was random violence, private detective Spenser suddenly finds himself in a world where nothing is what it seems, least of all the life - and death - of the victim."

Walking Shadow

Robert B. Parker

1994

A Spenser novel.

"A local theatre director claims he is being followed. An actor is gunned down onstage. There's more behind the scenes than an overzealous critic - and private detective Spenser intends to find out exactly what that is."

Thin Air

Robert B. Parker

1995

A Spenser novel.

"When the beautiful young wife of a Boston policeman goes missing, he asks his friend, private detective Spenser, to find her. But to do so Spenser must delve into the woman's past - which he soon discovers is darker than he could ever have imagined."

Chance

Robert B. Parker

1996

A Spenser novel.

"When Boston mobster Julius Ventura asks Spenser and his sidekick, Hawk, to find his missing son-in-law, it's clear he's not telling the whole truth. But something about the case appeals to Spenser and he agrees to take it, only to find himself at the centre of a gangland turf war."

Small Vices

Robert B. Parker

1997

A Spenser novel.

"Ellis Alves is a bad kid from the 'hood with a long record, but did he really murder Melissa Henderson, a white student from ritzy Pemberton College? Alves's former lawyers think he was framed, and they hire Spenser to uncover the truth. From Boston's back streets to Manhattan's elite, Spenser and Hawk search for suspects, including Melissa's rich kid tennis-star boyfriend. But when a man with a .22 puts Spenser in a coma, the hope for justice might just die along with the detective."

Sudden Mischief

Robert B. Parker

1998

A Spenser novel.

"When Susan's ex-husband, Brad, appears after a decades-long absence, nearly broke and the object of a sexual-harassment suit, Spenser reluctantly agrees to help. As he investigates the circumstances surrounding the suit, he discovers that fund-raiser Brad is swimming in very deep water: mobsters, who were using his fund-raising campaigns to launder money, have discovered he was cooking the already cooked books and aren't at all pleased. The deeper Spenser digs, the more bodies he uncovers and the more culpable Brad appears to be."

Hush Money

Robert B. Parker

1999

A Spenser novel.

"Spenser and his buddy Hawk are helping a couple of troubled friends (i.e., they're working without a fee). The first case involves the denial of tenure for Professor Robinson Nevins. While tenure meetings are always closed-door affairs, Nevins assumes that the recent suicide of graduate student Prentice Lamont (who some claim was having an affair with Nevins) ruined his chances for a coveted permanent position. Spenser and Hawk cut a brawl-strewn path through the members of the tenure committee on their way to the surprising truth of the Nevins case. The other investigation pits Spenser against the unknown stalker of K.C. Roth. Spenser's girlfriend, Susan, has known K.C. for a while, and while the PI finds Ms. Roth a bit melodramatic, he's always eager to help a damsel in distress. The only problem is that after he's apparently resolved the case, K.C. begins a little stalking of her own - of Spenser."

Hugger Mugger

Robert B. Parker

2000

A Spenser novel.

"When Spenser is approached by Walter Clive, president of the Three Fillies Stables, to find out who is threatening his horse Hugger Mugger, he can hardly say no: he's been doing pro bono work for so long his cupboards are just about bare. Disregarding the resentment of the local Georgia law enforcement, Spenser takes the case. Though Clive has hired a separate security firm, he wants someone with Spenser's experience to supervise the operation. Despite the veneer of civility, Spenser encounters tensions beneath the surface southern gentility. The case takes an even more deadly turn when the attacker claims a human victim, and Spenser must revise his impressions of the Three Fillies organization - and watch his own back as well."

Potshot

Robert B. Parker

2001

A Spenser novel.

"Potshot overcame its rough reputation as a rendezvous for old-time mountain men who lived off the land, thanks to a healthy infusion of new blood and even newer money. But when this western idyll is threatened by a local gang - a twenty-first-century posse of desert rats, misfits, drunks and scavengers - the local police seem powerless. Led by a charismatic individual known only as The Preacher, this motley band of thieves selectively exploits the town, nurturing it as a source of wealth while systematically robbing the residents blind. Enter Spenser, called in to put the group out of business and establish a police force who can protect the town. Calling on his own cadre of cohorts, including Vinnie Morris, Bobby Horse, Chollo Bernard J. Fortunato, as well as the redoubtable Hawk, Spenser must find a way to beat the gang at their own dangerous game."

Widow's Walk

Robert B. Parker

2002

A Spenser novel.

"When Nathan Smith, 51, is found in bed with a hole in his head it's hard not to imagine his young bride as the one with the finger on the trigger. Even her lawyer thinks she is guilty. But given that Mary Smith is entitled to the best defence she can afford - and thanks to Nathan's millions, she can afford plenty - Spenser is hired to investigate Mary's bona fides. Her alibi is flimsy - she claims she was watching TV in the other room when the murder occurred. But the couple were seen fighting at a high profile cocktail party earlier that evening and the prosecution has a witness who says Mary once tried to hire him to kill Nathan. What's more she is too pretty, too made-up, too blonde and she sleeps around - just the kind of person a jury loves to hate."

Back Story

Robert B. Parker

2003

A Spenser novel.

"In 1974, a revolutionary group held up the Old Shawmut Bank in Boston's Audubon Circle. Money was stolen. And a woman named Emily Gordon, a visitor in town cashing traveller's checks, was shot and killed. No one saw who shot her. Despite security-camera photos and a letter from the group claiming responsibility, the perpetrators have remained at large for nearly three decades. Enter Paul Giacomin, the closest thing to a son Spenser has. Twice before, Spenser's come to the young man's assistance; and now Paul is thirty-seven, his troubled past behind him. When Paul's friend Daryl Gordon - daughter of the long-gone Emily-decides she needs closure regarding her mother's death, it's Spenser she turns to. The lack of clues and a missing FBI intelligence report force Spenser to reach out in every direction-to Daryl's estranged, hippie father, to Vinnie Morris and the mob, to the mysterious Ives - testing his resourcefulness and his courageousness."

Bad Business

Robert B. Parker

2004

A Spenser novel.

"When Marlene Cowley hires Spenser to see if her husband, Trent, is cheating on her, he encounters more than he bargained for: Not only does he find a two-timing husband, but a second investigator as well, hired by the husband to look after his wife. As a result of their joint efforts, Spenser soon finds himself investigating both individual depravity and corporate corruption. It seems the folks in the Cowley's circle have become enamoured of radio talk-show host Darrin O'Mara, whose views on Courtly Love are clouding some already fuzzy minds with the notion of cross-connubial relationships. O'Mara's brand of sex therapy is unconventional at best, unlawful-and deadly-at worst. Then a murder at Kinergy, where Trent Cowley is CFO, sends Spenser in yet another direction. Apparently, the unfettered pursuit of profit has a price."

Cold Service

Robert B. Parker

2005

A Spenser novel.

"When Spenser's closest ally, Hawk, is brutally injured and left for dead while protecting bookie Luther Gillespie, Spenser embarks on an epic journey to rehabilitate his friend in body and soul. Hawk, always proud, has never been dependent on anyone. Now he is forced to make connections: to accept the medical technology that will ensure his physical recovery, and to reinforce the tenuous emotional ties he has to those around him. Spenser quickly learns that the Ukrainian mob is responsible for the hit, but finding a way into their tightly knit circle is not nearly so simple. Their total control of the town of Marshport, from the bodegas to the police force to the mayor's office, isn't just a sign of rampant corruption - it's a form of arrogance that only serves to ignite Hawk's desire to get even. As the body count rises, Spenser is forced to employ some questionable techniques and even more questionable hired guns while redefining his friendship with Hawk in the name of vengeance."

School Days

Robert B. Parker

2005

A Spenser novel.

"Lily Ellsworth - erect, firm, white-haired and stylish — is the grand dame of Dowling, Massachusetts, and possesses an iron will and a bottomless purse. When she hires Spenser to investigate her grandson Jared Clark's alleged involvement in a school shooting, Spenser is led into an investigation that grows more harrowing at every turn. Though seven people were killed in cold blood, and despite being named as a co-conspirator by the other shooter, Mrs. Ellsworth is convinced of her grandson's innocence. Jared's parents are resigned to his fate, and the boy himself doesn't seem to care whether he goes to prison for a crime he might not have committed. As the probe goes on, Spenser finds himself up against a number of roadblocks - from the school officials who don't want him investigating, to Jared's own parents, who are completely indifferent to the boy's defence. Ultimately Spenser discovers a web of blackmail and some heavy-duty indiscretions - and a truth too disturbing to contemplate. Before the case reaches its unfortunate end, Spenser is forced to make a series of difficult decisions—with fatal consequences."

Hundred-Dollar Baby

Robert B. Parker

2006

A Spenser novel.

"A client from a decades-old case reaches out to Boston PI Spenser-but can he rescue troubled April Kyle once more? When a mature, beautiful, and composed April strides into Spenser's office, the Boston PI barely hesitates before recognizing his once and future client. Now a well-established madam herself, April oversees an upscale call-girl operation in Boston's Back Bay. Still looking for Spenser's approval, it takes her a moment before she can ask him, again, for his assistance. Her business is a success; what's more, it's an all-female enterprise. Now that some men are trying to take it away from her, she needs Spenser."

Now and Then

Robert B. Parker

2007

A Spenser novel.

"Spenser knows something's amiss the moment Dennis Doherty walks into his office. The guy's aggressive yet wary, in the way men frightened for their marriages always are. So when Doherty asks Spenser to investigate his wife Jordan's abnormal behavior, Spenser agrees. A job's a job, after all. Not surprisingly, Spenser catches Jordan with another man, tells Dennis what he's found out, and considers the case closed. But a couple of days later, all hell breaks loose, and three people are dead. This isn't just a marital affair gone bad. Spenser is in the middle of a hornet's nest of trouble, and he's got to get out of it without getting stung."

Rough Weather

Robert B. Parker

2008

A Spenser novel.

"Heidi Bradshaw is wealthy, beautiful, and well-connected. She's also a notorious gold digger only recently separated from her latest husband - and she's hired Spenser to act as her stand-in spouse. The Boston P.I. is to accompany Heidi to her private island to attend her daughter's wedding. It should be a straightforward job, but when his old nemesis Rugar - the Gray Man - arrives, Spenser realizes that something is amiss. As a storm strikes, cutting off the island, a kidnapping and a series of murders turn celebrations into chaos. With six dead bodies and more questions than he can handle, Spenser begins a search for answers - and the Gray Man."

Chasing the Bear: A Young Spenser Novel

Robert B. Parker

2009

A Spenser novel for young adults.

"Now, for the first time, see how it all began as the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master sheds light on Spenser's formative years spent with his father and two uncles out West. This is an event book for every fan of Spenser, and a revelation for teens about to discover an American icon."

The Professional

Robert B. Parker

2009

A Spenser novel.

"Spenser has never had any difficulty handling women. But when four stunningly beautiful trophy wives hire him to protect them against a blackmailer threatening to expose their infidelities, even he must admit that they look like trouble. For a private eye of Spenser's abilities and contacts, tracking down Gary Eisenhower, the blackmailer and serial adulterer, isn't too difficult - but almost in spite of himself Spenser finds that he quite likes the guy. Certainly the women, with their loose purse-strings and looser morals, and their loveless marriages to rich, powerful, corrupt men, are hard to feel sorry for. But a killing soon changes the complexion of the case, and draws Spenser into the world of Boston's monied aristocracy: a world of corruption, vice and murder. As the bodies start to pile up, Spenser must decide which of his friends he can trust."

Painted Ladies

Robert B. Parker

2010

A Spenser novel.

"The infamous Spenser is hired by an art professor to help recover a stolen painting and claim a ransom. But with one massive explosion, the painting disappears. And with it the professor and a shedload of cash. The case becomes deadly - Spenser must find out who's behind it, and why. Before they come after him."

Sixkill

Robert B. Parker

2011

A Spenser novel.

"A young girl has been found dead in a hotel room. The womanizing movie star Jumbo Nelson is the obvious suspect. Given that he spent the night with her. But he's innocent. Or at least he says he is. Enter Spenser. Jumbo's lawyers hire him to find out who did it. Never one to turn down a challenge, Spenser starts to investigate. He finds an unlikely ally in the shape of Jumbo's bodyguard, Zebulon Sixkill. He's an alcoholic Cree warrior with a bad past and a worse temper. But given that there's a cold-blooded assassin on the loose, he might just prove to be the secret weapon Spenser needs."

Lullaby

Ace Atkins

2012

A Spenser novel.

"When fourteen-year-old Mattie Sullivan asks Spenser to look into her mother’s murder, he’s not completely convinced by her claim that the police investigation four years ago was botched. Mattie is gruff, street-smart, and wise beyond her years, left to care for her younger siblings and an alcoholic grandmother in a dilapidated apartment in South Boston. But her need for closure and her determination to make things right hit Spenser where he lives- they’re the very characteristics he abides by. Mattie believes the man convicted of the crime is innocent and points Spenser to the Southie toughs who she saw carrying her mother away hours before her murder. Neither the Boston PD nor the neighborhood thugs are keen on his dredging up the past, but as Spenser becomes more involved in the case, he starts to realize that Mattie may be onto something. Spenser will need Hawk’s help to find peace for Mattie – a job that’s more dangerous than he ever thought."

Wonderland

Ace Atkins

2013

A Spenser novel.

"Henry Cimoli and Spenser have been friends for years, yet the old boxing trainer has never asked the private eye for a favor. Until now. A heavy-handed developer is trying to buy up Henry's condo on Revere Beach and sends thugs to move the process along. Soon Spenser and his apprentice, Zebulon Sixkill, find a trail leading to a mysterious and beautiful woman, a megalomaniacal Las Vegas kingpin, and plans to turn to a chunk of land north of Boston into a sprawling casino. Bitter rivals emerge, alliances turn, and the uglier pieces of the Boston political machine look to put an end to Spenser's investigation. Aspiration, greed, and twisted dreams all focus on the old Wonderland dog track where the famous amusement park once fronted the ocean. For Spenser and Z, this simple favor to Henry will become the fight of their lives."

Silent Night

Robert B. Parker with Helen Brann

2013

A Spenser novel.

"It's December in Boston, and Spenser is busy planning the menu for Christmas dinner when he's confronted in his office by a young boy named Slide. Homeless and alone, Slide has found refuge with an organization named Street Business, which gives shelter and seeks job opportunities for the homeless and lost. Slide's mentor, Jackie Alvarez, is being threatened, and Street Business is in danger of losing its tenuous foothold in the community, turning Slide and many others like him back on the street. But it's not a simple case of intimidation - Spenser, aided by Hawk, finds a trail that leads to a dangerous drug kingpin, whose hold on the at-risk community Street Business serves threatens not just the boys' safety and security, but their lives as well. Unfinished at the time of his death, Silent Night was completed by Parker's longtime agent, whose decades-long association with Parker's work gives her unique insight and perspective to his voice and storytelling style."

Cheap Shot

Ace Atkins

2014

A Spenser novel.

"Kinjo Heywood is one of the New England Patriots' marquee players — a hard-nosed linebacker who's earned his reputation as one of the toughest guys in the league. When off-field violence repeatedly lands Heywood in the news, his slick agent hires Spenser to find the men who he says have been harassing his client. Heywood's troubles seem to be tied to a nightclub shooting from two years earlier. But when Heywood's nine-year-old son, Akira, is kidnapped, ransom demands are given, and a winding trail through Boston's underworld begins, Spenser puts together his own all-star team of toughs. It will take both Hawk and Spenser's protégé, Zebulon Sixkill, to watch Spenser's back and return the child to the football star's sprawling Chestnut Hill mansion. A controversial decision from Heywood only ups the ante as the clock winds down on Akira's future."

Kickback

Ace Atkins

2015

A Spenser novel.

"What started out as a joke landed seventeen-year-old Dillon Yates in a lockdown juvenile facility in Boston Harbor. When he set up a prank Twitter account for his vice principal, he never dreamed he could be brought up on criminal charges, but that s exactly what happened. This is Blackburn, Massachusetts, where zero tolerance for minors is a way of life. Leading the movement is tough-as-nails Judge Joe Scali, who gives speeches about getting tough on today s wild youth. But Dillon s mother, who knows other Blackburn kids who are doing hard time for minor infractions, isn't buying Scali s line. She hires Spenser to find the truth behind the draconian sentencing. From the Harbor Islands to a gated Florida community, Spenser and trusted ally Hawk follow a trail through the Boston underworld with links to a shadowy corporation that runs New England s private prisons. They eventually uncover a culture of corruption and cover-ups in the old mill town, where hundreds of kids are sent off to for-profit juvie jails."

Slow Burn

Ace Atkins

2016

A Spenser novel.

"The fire at a boarded-up Catholic church raged hot and fast, lighting up Boston's South End and killing three firefighters who were trapped in the inferno. A year later, as the city prepares to honour their sacrifice, there are still no answers about how the deadly fire started. Most at the department believe it was just a simple accident: faulty wiring in a century-old building. But Boston firefighter Jack McGee, who lost his best friend in the blaze, suspects arson. McGee is convinced department investigators aren't sufficiently connected to the city's lowlifes to get a handle on who's behind the blaze - so he takes the case to Spenser. Spenser quickly learns not only that McGee might be right but that the fire might be linked to a rash of new arsons spreading through the city. Spenser follows the trail of fires to Boston's underworld, bringing him; his trusted ally, Hawk; and his apprentice, Sixkill, toe-to-toe with a dangerous new enemy who doesn't play by the city's old rules. Spenser has to find the firebug before he kills again - and stay alive himself."

Little White Lies

Ace Atkins

2017

A Spenser novel.

"A self-proclaimed military hotshot, Welles had been a frequent guest on national news shows speaking with authority about politics and world events. But when he disappears, he leaves not only a jilted lover but a growing list of angry investors, duped cops, and a team of paramilitary contractors looking for revenge. Enter Spenser, who quickly discovers that everything about Welles is phony. His name, his resume, and his client list are nothing but an elaborate fraud. But uncovering the truth won't be easy, as he'll have to keep the mystery man alive long enough to get back his client's money. As the trail winds from Boston to backroads Georgia, Spenser will need help from trusted allies Hawk and Teddy Sapp to make sure Welles's next con is his last."

In Pursuit of Spenser: Mystery Writers on Robert B. Parker and the Creation of an American Hero

Editor: Otto Penzler

2012

"When Robert B. Parker passed in early 2010, the world lost two great men: Parker himself, iconic American crime writer whose books have sold more than 6 million copies worldwide, and his best-known creation, Spenser. Parker's Spenser series not only influenced the work of countless of today's writers, but is also credited with reviving and forever changing the genre. In Pursuit of Spenser offers a look at Parker and to Spenser through the eyes of the writers he influenced."

• Introduction (Otto Penzler)
• Songs Spenser Taught Me (Ace Atkins)
• Voice Of The City (Dennis Lehane)
• They Like The Way It Sounds (Lawrence Block)
• Spenser's Code Of Humor (Parnell Hall)
• Parker And Spenser: A Collaboration (Loren D. Estleman)
• Bob, Boston And Me: A Remembrance (Jeremiah Healy)
• A Man For All Seasonings (Brendan Dubois)
• Spenser And The Art Of The Family Table (Lyndsay Faye)
• Looking For Hawk (Gary Phillips)
• Who Is Silverman, What Is She? (S.J. Rozan)
• A Look At Spenser: For Hire (Max Allan Collins And Matthew Clemens)
• Go East, Young Man: Robert B. Parker, Jesse Stone, And Spenser (Reed Farrel Coleman)
• Parker Saddles Up: The Westerns Of Robert B. Parker (Ed Gorman)
• Spenser: A Profile (Robert B. Parker)
• A Bibliography Of The Works Of Robert B. Parker