Stranger in Paradise

By: Robert B. Parker

Narrated by: James Naughton

The last time Jesse Stone, chief of police of Paradise, Massachusetts, saw Wilson "Crow" Cromartie, the Apache Indian hit man was racing away in a speedboat after executing one of the most lucrative and deadly heists in the town's history. Crow was part of a team of ex-cons who plotted to capture Stiles Island, the wealthy enclave off the Paradise coast, by blowing up the connecting bridge. Residents were kidnapped, some were killed, and Crow managed to escape with a boatload of cash, never to be seen again. Until now.

So, when Crow shows up in Jesse's office some 10 years after the crime, it's not to turn himself in. Crow is on another job, and this time he's asking for Jesse's help - by asking him to stay out of his way.

Crow's mission is simple: find young Amber Francisco and bring her back to her father, Louis, in Florida. It should be an easy payday for a pro like Crow, but there are complications. Amber, now living in squalor with her mother, Fiona, is mixed up with members of a Latino gang. And when Louis orders Crow to kill Fiona before heading back with Amber, he can't follow through. Crow may be a bad guy, but he doesn't kill women. It's up to Jesse to provide protection.

Meanwhile, Jesse's on-again, off-again relationship with his ex-wife, Jenn, picks up steam as Jenn investigates the gang problem for her TV station. As they dig deeper, the danger escalates. The life of a young girl hangs in the balance, and saving Amber could be the miracle Jesse and Jenn need for themselves, too.

©2008 Robert B. Parker (P)2008 Random House, Inc.

Jesse and Crow - the next Spenser and Hawk?

I thought of this at the end of the first appearance of Crow, not entirely unlike the first meeting in a novel of Spenser and Hawk. This was a good story, better than the last crossover with Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall. Crow is a bad guy, but you like him for his autonomy, a hallmark characteristic of all Parker characters. Stone is more of a smartass in this book, much like a well loved Boston PI. James Naughton is a very good reader and you eventually stop noticing the endless "he said she said" overlays that are invisible on the paper page but really stand out in the audible book.

Best narrator of the Spenser series.

This was one of the better Spenser stories (although theyre all pretty good). Unlike the other, more celebrity narrators, this guy was a much better dramatic reader. What I really liked was that the narrator nailed the Mass accent like a native! Its a pet peeve of mine when alleged professionals attempt the Mass accent and butcher it. He also came in and out of it effortlessly. Loved it.

Could have been better

Like the other reviewers mentioned, the narrator's 'he said, she said' drove me to distraction.
How did this get past an editor?
It's awful enough to ruin a good book.

Enjoyed a lot........

.....but.....a little too many F words for my tastes. Otherwise, I loved it! Too bad Mr. Parker did not live longer as he could have written a series of books just on Crow.

great book

love all the books, the narrators voice, the only thing I don't like is how the are always saying he said she said

Enjoyed the storyline.

Enjoyed this story.The narrator was much better than the previous reads. Story kept me interested begin to end. Once past the he said she said in audio it is good. Like having these books read to me. should use the narrator for more reads

Very Good

Most of the Jesse Stone are quite good and this one is no exception. It has all the typical Parker touches including personal codes, being a stand-up guy, bad men who do things that ultimately do good. The picture of Jesse's ex-wife Jen is a better, more sympathetic, fuller version of her than the one presented in previous books. It is also indicative of later works in the series where Jesse takes on the role of social arbiter if not social worker; as he seeks to help troubled teens in difficult circumstances. This is also the book that presents Molly Crane in a fuller manner than any of the others in the series. It does of course contain another of the typical Parker touches; the incessant he said, she said, Jesse said that are easily ignored in print but are jarring as well as irritating in audio form. An excellent read and a great listen as well.

Awesome book

A very good book just like the rest in this series good all the way to end

Way too many he said, Jessie said.

I couldn’t get past the first chapter. When you read a book you can mentally skips all the “said” phrases. When they’re all read out loud it is very annoying. Plot may be fine but the writing could use some editing.

Good story, and good narration

Finally a good narrator for the Jessie Stone series. The story is as good as any of Parker's novels, and now we have a narrator who doesn't sound bored by the sound of his own voice.

Let's have some more Jesse Stone novels read by James Naughton.