Robert B. Parker was one of my favorite mystery writers when he died suddenly at his home just blocks from here in Cambridge, MA.  By 2010, he had written 40 novels featuring the wise-cracking, evil-erasing, Susan Silverman-loving, Hawk partnering, lovable tough guy known only by his last name, Spenser, with an ‘s’ as in the English poet.  The books were characterized by great repartee, wonderfully drawn characters, intricate plots, and a beautiful relationship with the Harvard-educated psychotherapist, Susan Silverman, and her/their dog Pearl.

“The Godwulf Manuscript”, Parker’s first novel was written 50 years ago and foreshadowed his considerable future writerly accomplishments, but only barely.  There was no trace of Hawk or Susan, not to mention the dog, and the only figures who appeared in later novels were the Boston cops, Quirk and Belson, and the Boston mob boss, Joe Broz.  Spenser was a lone warrior who ended up sleeping with his client and her mother (or was it with his client and her daughter?), drinking way too much, and ending up nearly dead from a gunshot wound in a shootout.  We do get the first taste of his wry wit and sarcasm, but it’s thin gruel when placed in the context of the silly plot and weak ending,  Nonetheless, the book’s publication was greeted with positive comments in the LA Times, the NY Times, and the Atlantic and provided a solid start to a great career, and one that stayed fresh through all those40  books.

An interesting aspect of reading this 50 year old novel was the outdated references to places and people.  The Copley Plaza Hotel is now the Fairmont. BPD headquarters is no longer downtown but out near Ruggles.   And mentioning Germaine Greer, Lenny Bernstein, and Helen Gurley Brown is unlikely to impress anyone younger than 80 these days.

I’d urge you to read Parker in his original form.  Two younger writers have taken up (?bought) the Spenser franchise, but I’ve found their books to be pale copies and not worth reading.  Read the real Spenser books and enjoy, but if you do, I’d move beyond this one for your first read.