NIGHT PASSAGE by Robert B. Parker is the first of the Jesse Stone series beginning with Jesse leaving Los Angeles as a member of the LAPD Homicide Force to cross the United States to Massachusetts. Jesse has now taken the position as the Chief of Police in Paradise, a small town near Boston. And when he arrives, he finds a small police force as governed by the Board of Selectmen, whose chairman is Hasty Hathaway, a typical impressed with himself, small town jerk. Jesse soon discovers that Paradise is rampant with corruption, following the sudden unexplained death of the previous chief in Wyoming after his sudden and well paid exit from Paradise.
Jesse’s life is further complicated by the current involvement with his ex-wife; although they are legally divorced each cannot divorce oneself from the continuing emotions held for the other.
The author, Robert B. Parker, was a resident of Boston, Massachusetts until his recent death. He was the author of the Spenser series concerning a detective/private investigator in Boston; and many of those books were adapted to television in the “Spencer for Hire” series in the 80’s starring Robert Urich.
I became so intrigued by the first book that I immediately checked from the Library all six that we have on the shelves. And I was not disappointed in any of them. Good series, easy to read and quite intriguing. The chapters are short and primarily composed of conversation with others including the small task force of the police department.
Another book that was highly recommended by a friend who spoke of it as terrifying, was William W. Johnstone’s THE BLEEDING EDGE. The author is primarily a writer of Westerns, and this book tends to follow that style. But the opening quote from Andrew Jackson: “One man with courage makes a majority” sets the plot for the book.
In a fictitious town along the eastern banks of the Rio Grande, the hero, John Howard Stark, has moved into a mobile home park on the outskirts of the city. A former rancher in West Texas, Stark has sold his large ranch to keep a drug cartel from moving in and causing his death. But it seems he cannot avoid a conflicting reappearance with another large and powerful drug cartel as a nearby one is fighting the residents of the mobile home park. They want the site to create a new passageway for carrying drugs.
I hope we have access to more books regarding this character; he could certainly create a strong following.
Do come and check out our Library that will be garbed in its own Christmas Dress in December. Many old fashioned decorations plus those that had been made by some of our younger set several years ago will be featured on our tree to the delight of the onlooker. Music and Carols will ring out greetings to you as you enter the door and our main table will be offering snacks to enjoy. Besides, if you have never been in our Library, it’s time to come and check it out; we have lots of fiction, new and older, biographies, art books and of course, some excellent cookbooks, including my favorite, GULF COAST COOKING, which features our own, Mrs. Raby’s recipe for crab cakes. And there are lots and lots of DVD’s available for check out, ranging from those applicable for children to those of interest for our many adults.
I know I’ve used the following quote for several years, but it really makes sense. Just think about it!
“When an old person dies, a Library burns down!”
Karin Gillespie
