The last few posts were way too heavy, so here’s a change in pace.

I just finished Robert B. Parker’s book Small Vices on tape. I like the Spenser novels, but I really liked this one. I buy these for my Mom, who loves mystery novels. Since her cataract operation she has gotten hooked on books on tape. I get to listen to the good ones first, though. This one is a real thriller. I like the characters Spenser, Hawk, Susan and Pearl, and I like the relaxed almost offhand way that he writes.

The plot of this one is that Spenser must prove a bad guy, who is in jail, was framed. The bad guy is very nasty sort who abuses women and everyone agrees that he should be behind bars. The only problem is that the real killer paid for a cover-up and he is now free. There are some good scenes and the character of the gray hit-man is very scary. It kept me on the edge of the seat while I was driving.

Over the weekend, I was coming down Sickletown Road and a guy pulled out from a side street without looking. I pulled over and stopped, but he kept on coming and side-swiped me anyway. I was STOPPED for chrisake. I popped in the Parker tape while waiting for the cops to come and fill out an accident report. It was lucky that I had it, because I wanted to punch the guy, and I needed a distraction.

If your ever see a Robert B. Parker book or tape at a garage sale, buy it. It is not Science Fiction, but one needs to cleanse the palette once in a while. (I tried to listen to Jane Austin’s Emma, but it was talk-talk-talk-talk-talk and nothing much interesting happened and I didn’t make it though the first tape. Mom liked it, though.)