Death in Paradise

A Jesse Stone Novel

By: Robert B. Parker

Narrated by: Robert Forster

Length: 5 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Chief of Police Jesse Stone returns to investigate the murder of a troubled teenager in a seemingly bucolic New England town.

The Paradise Men's Softball League has wrapped up another game, and Jesse Stone is lingering in the parking lot with his teammates, drinking beer, swapping stories of double plays and beautiful women in the late-summer twilight. But then a frightened voice calls out to him from the edge of a nearby lake. There, two men squat at the water's edge. In front of them, facedown, was something that used to be a girl.

The local cops haven't seen anything like this, but Jesse's L.A. past has made him all too familiar with floaters. This girl hadn't committed suicide; she hadn't been drowned; she'd been shot and dumped, discarded like trash. Before long it becomes clear that she had a taste for the wild life; and her own parents can't be bothered to report her missing, or even admit that she once was a child of theirs. All Jesse has to go on is a young man's school ring on a gold chain, and a hunch or two.

©2001 Robert B. Parker (P)2001 New Millenium Audio, All Rights Reserved

Critic reviews

"A page-turner...one of the master's best." (The Washington Post Book World)
"Prose whose impeccability speaks of decades of careful writing." (Publishers Weekly)

Move over, Raymond Chandler

This is a tightly written intimate and approachable who done it with really smooth and approachable characters. It is not world changing literature but a wonderful listen , a quick read, and completely absorbing. I couldn’t stop listening till the end.

Robert Forster

Robert always had a great speaking voice and it was a pleasant listen having him narrate. We miss him.

Solid Jesse Stone

Great Story and narrator.
Kept my interest throughout the Novel!
I highly recommend this story and all the
Jesse Stone noveli.

Good mystery, too much empty angst

Jesse Stone, police chief of Paradise, Mass., is an appealing character -- think Spenser without the ever-annoying Susan and Hawk -- and his crimesolving is compelling. But enough of Jesse's endless discussions with his on-again, off-again ex-wife and his overblown "to drink or not to drink" soliloquies. You get the point after the first round, and could easily fast forward through all the rest without missing anything vital. Reader has the right style but mispronounces several words -- where is Joe Mantegna when we need him?

Not the Best Jesse Stone

but still pretty good. I generally like most of the Jesse Stone mystery series novels and though this one would've been better with James Naughton as the narrator it was pretty good. It had all the normal shortcomings of of RBP novels; aka all the he said, she said, Jesse saids at the end of sentences. Plus all of Jesse's soliloquies pertaining to his drinking and the constant back and forth of Jesse and his ex-wife Jen that are the bane of the series. Oh, and one more thing, Harry 'Suitcase' Simpson was an outfielder with four American League teams; none of them the Red Sox, in the 1950's. Since none of the book's characters were supposed to have been alive in the 1950's it's unlikely that Luther Simpson would been given that nickname. It's much far likely that he would have been christened with O J or the Juice; although post double murder perhaps not. The situation with the mob boss strains credulity somewhat but that's a minor point. Jesse's way of responding straight forwardly to life and the law is inspiring; his combination of machismo and sensitivity an example to us all; well worth the credit.

There is still hope.

If you could sum up Death in Paradise in three words, what would they be?

Not too bad.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Death in Paradise?

The change, and there is one, in Molly.

Which scene was your favorite?

The cat on Jesse's lap.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A real step forward in the Jesse Stone series.

Any additional comments?

I like the new author, lets see if he can do it again.

I enjoyed the book

I really enjoy the Jesse Stone character and easily see him as looking like Tom Selleck

Good story but...

The narrator needs to find a way to distinguish the end of a section, chapter or setting change better but I enjoyed the story

Just a good read

Very slow story I found it difficult to keep interested. But had to keep reading to find out the end

THESE BOOKS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN MADE FOR AUDIO!

I absolutely cannot get past the "he said..." "she said..."! I cannot listen to this book! In fact, it looks like I won't be able to listen to ANY of these Jesse Stone books due to the awful narration and this constant he said-she said! I bought all of these Jesse Stone books on here too! What a waste of all those credits! This is the first set of books I just cannot listen to.

:(