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The Judas Goat  By  cover art

The Judas Goat

By: Robert B. Parker
Narrated by: Michael Prichard
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Publisher's summary

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.

Crack another case with Spenser.
©1992 Robert B. Parker (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

"Spenser is Boston's answer to James Bond...with a little Sam Spade and Nero Wolfe thrown in...Irreverent, witty, worldly...makes for fast, amusing reading." ( Pittsburgh Press)

What listeners say about The Judas Goat

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Spenser is not Sam Spade.

I have read or listened to all of the Spenser books and this book, although very dated in its language, has always been one of my favorites of the early mysteries. But the books are intended to be light and breezy - an easy read without too much seriousness. Joe Montagne, who narrates the later books, has the exactly right approach to the characters where the light-hearted banter between Spenser, Hawk, Vinnie and others sets the tone.

But Michael Prichard seems to think that Spenser is Sam Spade and narrates the book accordingly. There is almost no humor and he has completely lost the tone of the book. That is too bad since I would like to have bought more of the early Spenser books. Now I am stuck with The Judas Goat and, my personal favorite, A Catskill Eagle, and neither touches the upbeat and sprightly tone of the books themselves. I would willingly buy them again if Joe Montagne were to narrate them.

Good book. Poor narration. And a real disappointment.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

THE PERFECT RECIPE...

ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE REVISITED ONE OF ROBERT PARKER'S EARLIER SPENSER NOVELS, AND THIS ONE IS A GEM. THE JUDAS GOAT BRINGS ALL THE ELEMENTS OF A GOOD SPENSER NOVEL TOGETHER IN A PERFECT RECIPE OF ACTION, SUSPENSE, HUMOR, AND HUMAN INSIGHT THAT HAVE MADE SPENSER SUCH A POPULAR CHARACTER FOR SO MANY YEARS. THE PLOT HERE INVOLVES SPENSER TRACKING DOWN TERRORISTS, AND TAKES HIM FROM THE UNITED STATES TO ENGLAND, AND ACROSS EUROPE. HIS LETHAL COMPANION HAWK JOINS UP WITH HIM HALF-WAY THROUGH THE STORY, AND THINGS REALLY TAKE OFF FROM THERE. THE PARTNERING OF SPENSER AND HAWK IS PERFECTLY WRITTEN, A RICH PATOIS OF HUMOROUS BANTERING AND THOUGHTFUL INSIGHT IS REVEALED THROUGH THESE TWO CHARACTERS THAT ARE AT ONCE ALIKE AND YET EXPONENTAILLY DIFFERENT. THEY ARE TWO SIDES TO A VERY DANGEROUS COIN. ROBERT PARKER'S WRITING SHINES IN THE EXPLORATION OF HIS MAIN CHARACTERS; AND HE MANAGES TO DO IT WITHOUT BEING HEAVY, OR WEIGHING THE STORY DOWN IN EXPOSITION. LIKE A GOOD STEW, YOU MAY NOT REALIZE ALL THE INGREDIENTS THAT HAVE GONE INTO MAKING IT, BUT IT TASTES GREAT JUST THE SAME. AND ONCE AGAIN, MICHAEL PRICHARD DOES A STELLAR JOB BRINGING PARKER'S WORDS TO LIFE. HIS PERFORMANCE OF THESE SPENSER NOVELS ARE BY FAR MY FAVORITE.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Good Spenser /narration is flat

The narrator makes or breaks the listen. This is a good story, interesting plot...but the narrator is flat. Not terrible enough to be a distraction, but I wish that Montegna could read them all. I'd buy every one.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

3 ½ stars. Some parts very good. Some parts ok.

Spenser is hired to find and capture or kill some terrorist bombers. I couldn’t imagine how he would do it. I enjoyed watching him do it. The previous book introduced Hawk. In this book Spenser hires Hawk to help. There were some good scenes with them together. As always, I like this author because of his wit.

The narrator Michael Prichard was very good.

This is book #5 in the Spenser series.

Genre: PI mystery

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Love Spenser Series

Each book I listen to gets better and better. The characters are really developing.
Can't wait for the next book in the series. "Looking for Rachel Wallace".

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

Spenser novels are not great literature, but they can be entertaining. I've always enjoyed narration by Michael Prichard and for me, there is a comfort in hearing his familiar voice.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

If you like Wolfe, you'll like Spenser

I see the other review says that Prichard does not fit the tone of the Spenser novels. I disagree, I suspect because I grew up reading the Nero Wolfe novels by Rex Stout. Michael Prichard narrated the entire Wolfe series and I've come to associate him strongly with the kind of dry, sarcastic wit that Archie brings to every Wolfe mystery. When I picked up the Spenser audiobooks at my mother's urging, I was delighted to discover Prichard as the narrator. The humor and wit is all there, if you listen for it. These are not Phillip Marlowe stories, and Prichard does not make them out to be something they aren't.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story

Action was swift and decisive. This is my second Parker novel found it to be a good read.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An International Spenser case!

A great story of Spenser and Hawk stopping terrorists before America was drawn into these types of conflicts after 9-11. Robert Parker was ahead of his time he knew one day the United States would have to deal with this way of life to.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story, flat, uninspired reading.

I’ve been a fan of Robert B. Parker since his books appeared in print. His Spenser series is a favorite of mine. Judas Goat deserves a MUCH better reader! Why on earth did Audible choose Michael Prichard? When I first read Judas Goat in print, I couldn’t put it down until I finished. This narrator took an exciting novel and made it sound like a lecture. I won’t purchase any more Audible books narrated by M. Prichard.

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