Robert B. Parker's Lullaby

A Spenser Mystery

By: Ace Atkins

Narrated by: Joe Mantegna

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

When 14-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 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 on to something. He will need Hawk’s help to find peace for Mattie - a job that’s more dangerous than Spenser ever thought.

©2012 Ace Atkins (P)2012 Random House

Critic reviews

“Handpicked by the Parker estate to be the keeper of the flame for the Spenser franchise, award-winning author Ace Atkins rises flawlessly to the occasion.” (Kirkus Reviews)

“Atkins succeeds. He doesn’t sound like somebody trying to emulate Parker. He sounds like Parker in a book that hits all the usual Spenser notes. He has the wisecrack-filled dialogue down and Parker’s cadences, too: Spenser, thankfully, sounds like Spenser. You also get the vivid sense of place, flexing of muscles and spare plot that were hallmarks of Parker’s 39 Spenser books….It’s a feat when a writer creates characters who live and breathe on the page and make readers care and keep coming back for more. To manage that with someone else’s characters, let alone with an icon like Spenser, is a minor miracle. Ace Atkins pulls it off.” (Chicago Sun-Times)

“Even the most fanatical Parker fans would be hard pressed to identify any aspect of this Spenser novel that doesn’t read as if it were penned by Spenser’s late creator.…Atkins hits all the familiar marks...as he offers familiar pleasures.” (Publishers Weekly)

A very good Parker.

Any additional comments?

Akins did an excellent job capturing Parker's Spenser. Seemed to try a little too hard with the wisecracks but that wouldn't keep me from reading another. Or should I say listening to another. Joe Mantegna IS Spenser.

RBP is gone but Spenser & Co. lives on.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Robert B. Parker will be missed, but Ace Atkins does a creditable job of continuing to breath live into his characters. Some of their dialog is cliched, almost as if it was extracted from previous stories, but they do ring true. Prior to hearing the story, I was concerned that this might not be the case, Now, I feel good that the Parker estate chose wisely in their selection of Atkins and believe that the characters will continue to evolve, as he becomes more comfortable with them. Atkins provides us with a glimpse into Hawk's background that was never shared with us before, which brings up the question as to whether it's an attempt on his part to make a personal contribution to the Spenser storyline, or if he's treating us to a bit of background that Parker had previously held back. Joe Mantegna turns in his usual excellent performance, which goes a long way toward helping us accept Spenser's new chronicler. All in all, a recommended listen.

What does Joe Mantegna bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Joe Mantegna brings Spenser and his associates to life. He has a great feel for the character and his relationships that has grown out of not only his previous readings of Spenser novels, but also his portrayal of Spenser in made for TV movies. His voices, inflection, and timing are dead on as he delivers our favorite private eye's one liners.

Satisfying in all the best ways

The Spenser series has always been a favorite of mine. This addition filled the bill. The characterizations were terrific, and the narration superb. Good one.

I was so pleasantly surprised!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. We were all crushed with the passing of Robert B. Parker. We thought that many of Spenser's tales would go unsaid. I purchased this audiobook with a skeptical eye (and ear), knowing that so many novels written by writers who attempted to mimic deceased writers came up so flat. Well, that is far from the case here. Naturally, it helps that this audiobook is read by Joe Mantegna who epitomizes Spenser in my humble opinion. Lullaby has the feel and texture of prior Parker novels. I believe that Robert B. Parker would have smiled on this book. I look forward to additional Ace Atkins books.

Which character – as performed by Joe Mantegna – was your favorite?

Mantegna gets all characters nailed! Spenser and Hawk are performed to a T.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely.

A good idea that is close

Where does Robert B. Parker's Lullaby rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

I have always liked the performance of Joe Mantegna. He does an excellent reading of the Spenser books, best of all of the performers.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Robert B. Parker's Lullaby?

Just to have another opportunity to revisit characters that are so embraced by so many.

What does Joe Mantegna bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

A level of emotion that you would not necessarily experience on your own if you simply read the book.

Any additional comments?

Overall the book was good, not great. Ace does an admirable job of picking up the characters and making them live again. However, I did find the characters slightly off. Spenser was a little harder drinker, the way things were described were a bit more direct and crude. Some metaphors were less artful than in previous writings.

Spenser gets shot -- something that hasn't really happened since the grey man. I had the opportunity to listen to every Spenser book in sequence before I heard Lullaby. I could hear the difference.

Don't get me wrong, this is still a good book and enjoyable to listen to. However, I do hope Ace will re-examine his approach and his writing style to more closely match the art, not the science, of the original writings.

Disappointed

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I wanted to love this book. I've read all of Robert B. Parker's books, and Spenser is my favorite fictional character. So I really want more of Spenser, and I really wanted to love this book. But I didn't. It may have been largely due to Joe Mantegna's performance, or it may be a combination of things. I felt like the story was formulaic. Spenser's wise cracks were more sophomoric smart ass comments than Parker's Spenser. I found it hard to care about the characters. I've never been happy to see one of Parker's books end. This one, I couldn't wait until it was over.

Would you recommend Robert B. Parker's Lullaby to your friends? Why or why not?

No. For the reasons above. I also felt the plot was weak. I never did feel like we should care why Julie was murdered. I never understood why Gerry Broz was brought into the story. Time and time again, people told Spenser they wouldn't help him, and then boom--for no explained reason they were helping him. The involvement with the FBI man didn't gel. There was no point. None of it seemed to have a point.

Would you be willing to try another one of Joe Mantegna’s performances?

Maybe for another character, but never again for Spenser. Mantegna's rendition felt like Mr. Rogers channeling Micky Spillane. I cringed when I heard some of Spenser's dialogue come out of Montegna's mouth. I know some people think he's great for the part, but this voice was not Spenser. I thought the performance was awful. Sorry. I like Joe Montegna, but not as Spenser. I felt like a first grade teacher was reading to six-year-olds.

Do you think Robert B. Parker's Lullaby needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. I never got emotionally caught up in the characters. I was glad when the book ended. No more!

Any additional comments?

I don't like giving bad reviews, and usually if I don't like a book I just quietly move on. But this is Spenser. Except it wasn't. And I was sorely disappointed.

Solid story, just not my favorite

Big fan of Spenser. Joe M is so talented. What an artist he is. I enjoyed the book but the story was not my favorite. I would recommend it to others but for a person just coming to Spenser, it’s not the first one I would introduce them to . F

Excellent!

I never really appreciated this narrator's reading before I listened to book 1 yesterday. excellent spencer voice!

Classic Robert B. Parker, Even if It Really Wasn't

I was a little concerned about delving into a Spenser book written by someone other than the late, great Robert B. Parker, but I'm so glad he did. Ace Atkins captured the literary voice of Spenser perfectly. The story held my interest, the banter was top-notch, and Susan-worshipping didn't take center-stage. As always, Joe Mantegna's narration was perfection.

Another nice thing -- this book seemed meatier than recent Spenser books, which seemed to be getting shorter and shorter. I hope this won't be the last venture into Spenserland by Ace. Keep 'em coming, I say!

Spencer and the gang lives on!!

Any additional comments?

Story had same style and flow as previous books. I was a little concerned about Ace getting Hawk right and he nailed it.