Stardust (The Spenser Series Book 17)

A production company is filming a show in town starring Jilly Joyce, the most popular actress on television. But someone is harressing her. Spenser does the best he can with little help from the leading lady. And when a pattern of harressment turns into murder, the likely suspects are a well-connected businessman, an ex-husband, and an LA crime boss. Or is there another? Or is it all just in her head?I didn't like that there wasn't a lot of entanglements with gangsters, but there's a lot that makes up for it. The introduction of Victor Del Rio and of course, Spenser being Spenser, showing off bad guys and pissing off network heads.I especially love that this one takes place in Boston during Christmas time. As someone who has lived in Boston nearly all their life, this felt so relatable.The ending works. It answers a lot of questions. You might not see it coming. And if you're an amateur sleuth you may suspect it, dismiss it, and then be surprised it happened.Not sure if this is the best Spenser novel, but it's definitely one of my most favorite.

In STARDUST, Spenser is hired to protect Hollywood glamour girl Jill Joyce from continued harassment and would be stalkers. It turns out that said Hollywood glamour girl is nothing but a rich, spoilt, pain in the backside, and several times, our hero has to stop himself from walking away from the case. Especially early on. It takes an epiphany for Spenser to keep his word, however, and when he sees the wood for the trees, it is nice and easy for the reader to understand why he can’t walk away, as well. And it is a good thing for Joyce that he keeps his word, too, because things start to get nasty. In a hurry, even.STARDUST is unique for several reasons. Hawk and Susan both feature prominently, and yet in some respects, especially for Hawk, his role in the story is relatively minor. And Susan was there, right from the opening scene, as the story starts out on a TV Show Set that Lily features in, and Susan is one of the technical directors for the company producing the show. So we don’t get to experience Spenser telling his lover the facts of the case, as she already knows them. And of course, this means we don't get to listen to her interpretation of said facts, or her interpretation of Spenser’s interpretation of said facts. But you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Old regulars and friends (and those not) of Spenser who work for the Boston Police Department show up, too, but only when the need arises (I am being subtle, here folks!). The standard interaction comes to the fore amongst the whole gang, and as the world knows by now, it all works on so many levels.There is a death, and bound to be more, before the baddies are caught. And plenty of fights, and bravado, and humour, and hints of sex between our two star crossed lovers. Sound familiar to anyone? You betcha! And that is why I love STARDUST. It starts off nice and easy, a quiet, slow stroll in the (metaphorical) park, and turns into a mad chase for the killers later on.Four stars for the quality of the story telling, the controlled pace and the excellent characterisation. And a bonus star for the originality of the plot.And for the nice new kindle cover.BFN Greggorio!

Not his best but still better than watching tv

Read book 1. Skipped to Book 17. 20 years between books. I like this later one more than the first.

Great characters from Parker' s apparently infinite supply. Ripping dialogue and a plot that pulls.you along like the tide going out.Great reading! Don't miss this one.

It takes Susan and Hawk and spencer and quirk working tother to save a terribly troubled tv starlet. One of Parker’s best

Spenser meets Hollywood here as a TV show has chosen Boston for the location of its program, Fifty Minutes and they have all of TV's most famous actress, Jill Joyce. Joyce feels she is being stalked and fears for her life, so the show hires Spenser to protect her. It isn't easy as she is not forthcoming in giving information about her stalker, but is real forthcoming about wanting to bed Spenser. A frustrated Spenser nearly gives up the case several times as he gets no co-operation from the star, but the super sleuth calls on Hawk to watch her and he takes off to track down the stalker when Joyce's body double is murdered. The book is slow to develop, but is real good once the stage is set for the story.

I am a big Spenser fan but not all Spenser books are good. In several of Parker's books I have the feeling he is writing to satisfy a contract requirement for so many books in a limited time, some I think fall into that category by are so well written that I ignore it. But "Stardust" was so poorly written I had to force myself to read it and I often put it down to do something else. Also, in reading it, I felt that Parker did not like Hollywood and he took this dislike out on Jill Joyce, a TV star with hard ties to the movie industry. As I read the book I never developed any empathy for Jill, I disliked her when we were introduced and this dislike grew with the book. Forget the ending, this feeling flip-flopped but not due to Spenser or Parker, it is the climate of the times. I felt all along as I read the book there was something behind Jill and her character but I never tumbled to it, I was just reading and accepting people as Spenser gave them to me. I did not know who the killer was until it was revealed in the book and then I never felt too convinced, I thought it was contrived and non-realistic. Still, since I did not foresee the conclusion, the book did have some value and I gave it the three stars.

Not one of his best stories but a cracking good read! The plot skips along at a pace with the usual old Raymond Chandler style Dialogue (updated) popping up on most pages.A nice twist at the end as I have come to expect from Robert B Parker.

A likeable story with an excellent plot rather padded with descriptions of clothing and furniture it is rather obvious from the beginning how it will end but getting there is an enjoyable experience.

Like most of Robert B. Parker's books, this one held my interest and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once I get involved in reading a good book, I find I can't put it down.

I have all the Robert Parker (Spenser) books on my Kindle. I've read them and will re-read them with great pleasure.

Never fails to deliver - funny, easy to read and entertaining - read them all now - same formula but characters endearing