Robert B. Parker’s The Bitterest Pill by Reed Farrel Coleman is the 18th book in the Jesse Stone series, where the opioid epidemic has reached Paradise, and Police Chief Jesse Stone must rush to stop the devastation. Why are we hooked on Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone character? The obvious: he’s taciturn, self-deprecating, achingly honest,…
My mom loves Spenser. She has almost every Spenser book Robert B. Parker wrote. Parker himself wrote nearly 70 books, but his characters are so popular his series continued even after his death in 2010. Years ago, I read a couple of Spenser books because they were on my mom’s shelf, but I mostly loved…
Every Wednesday, we here at Criminal Element will put together a list of Staff Picks of the books that published the day before—sharing the ones that we are looking forward to reading the most! This week, Jo Spain’s latest thriller combines with Reed Farrel Coleman’s next Jesse Stone novel highlight an amazing week of books!…
Every Wednesday, we here at Criminal Element will put together a list of Staff Picks of the books that published the day before—sharing the ones that we are looking forward to reading the most! This week, Kristen Lepionka’s sophomore effort combines with a new Murder, She Wrote mystery and Ace Atkins’s latest Robert B. Parker…
Robert B. Parker's The Hangman's Sonnet by Reed Farrel Coleman is the 16th Jesse Stone novel. Paradise’s Chief of Police Jesse Stone is in a really bad place. None of his usual crutches—booze, throwing a ball into his beloved baseball mitt, babes (consensual relationships with intelligent women), losing himself in police work—are working. His life…
Every Wednesday, we here at Criminal Element will put together a list of Staff Picks of the books that published the day before—sharing the ones that we are looking forward to reading the most! This week, we get a new Longmire mystery and a new Jesse Stone novel! See what other books to snag for…
Christina Dodd, author of Because I'm Watching, shares what she's currently reading, some of her favorite fictional sleuths, and writing characters with PTSD in this exclusive Q&A! Describe Because I’m Watching in five words. Best book I've ever written.
Every Wednesday, we here at Criminal Element will put together a list of Staff Picks of the books that published the day before—sharing the ones that we are looking forward to reading the most! Check back every Wednesday and see what we're reading for the week!
Robert B. Parker's Slow Burn by Ace Atkins is the newest Spenser novel, where Boston PI Spenser faces a hot case and a personal crisis (Available today!). An assessment of a new Spenser novel requires this reviewer to reveal a bit of my adoration for series creator, Robert B. Parker, and why I was initially…
Many readers develop a deep affinity for a continuing detective or mystery series beyond well-sculpted plots, fast action, and wisecracks, that is, if they are going to stick with it for the long read. I know I do. An emotional hook, so to speak, that I can identify with in the main and supporting characters.…
