Robert B. Parker's The Hangman's Sonnet (A Jesse Stone Novel) Hardcover – September 12, 2017

Jesse Stone died when Robert B Parker did. The estate has allowed someone else to continue the character. The last book (a Coleman effort) was awful. This one is just barely better. It is not about the crime and mystery so much as the alcoholism of the protagonist. Such physiologic and psychological detail would almost cause one to think about the condition of the author. Regarding the story, the reader does not get the whole story. Instead, Stone comes up with a "Perry Mason" moment (look it up) to solve the case(s) entirely. And c'mon. Spenser? Really? I think Coleman can write his own creations pretty effectively, but it's impossible to fill in the pieces of a character you don't own.The real crime is that I forked over 14 bucks to read this. Regrettably, I suspect I will do it again in a year and then complain again. Some of us diehard fans never lose hope.

I gave up on Coleman after the last Jesse Stone, the one with the cat. And yet hope springs eternal, I guess, especially when offered the possibility of Stone and Spenser in the same book. What a mistake!Had I wanted to read the usual adjective and adverb strewn supermarket mystery that my wife so dearly loves, from Paterson or Sanford or Coban, then I would have bought one of those. Instead we get Jesse Stone re-imagined and made into a weak beta-boy in the style of those other panderers. It's not Parker and, if you read the jacket blurbs, it's not supposed to be. Perhaps it's more congenial to the sorts of folks in big publishing houses these days, but it's not what those of us who love Parker want."Then he'd been standing before his steam-clouded bathroom mirror. Then he'd been studying the three-day growth of salt-and-pepper stubble along his angular jawline and square chin and the taut skin of his still-handsome face. He ran his fingers through his thick hair, found the grey creeping in there, too. He'd looked everywhere in the mirror except directly into his own eyes, because all he saw there was condemnation."Ye gods and little fishes! The adjectives! Hyphenated adjectives even. Three of them. And the explicit self-reflection is enough to gag any Parker fan. That paragraph fragment, from the beginning of Chapter 4, tells you everything you need to know about this thing. It's where I stopped and when the book wound up in the corner across the room. Ace Atkins isn't Parker either, but at least he tries to be faithful. Coleman seems to relish his unfaithfulness to the character.

Good story but can't help but wonder if the author ever read a Jesse Stone book by Bob Parker or saw any of the movies. The characters were here in his story but not the people I've come to know over the years. Just did not come to life as Parker made them.

Reed Farrel Coleman does not one stroke of the pen resemble Robert Parker. He rambles to fill pages. He doesn't understand Jesse Stone al all or his deputy.He should not be allowed to write another Paradise book

I Just don't know what to do. I have read 16 of these books, but have not enjoyed one since Parker died and then two other authors started writing the books. This one is just about all I can take. This author has completely done away with the witty, caustic quick paced dialogue. There is no more clever banter. He barely gives a mention to important supporting characters like Molly and Suit, in fact he mentions their names now and then, and then, nothing. Jesse seems to be bored even with himself, gone is the pace, the intelligence, the honor (even among drunks.) Now Jesse is boring and slow, his relationships shallow and dull, the other characters all but gone. These books are becoming an introspective musing of a drunk, not a good, fun crime story. I particularly miss the back and forth clever dialogue between Jesse and Molly. Actually I miss it all. Do I just give up and say no to the rest? Ugh.

I've stuck with Mr Coleman up to now, but this one just took the biscuit for me. There was a plot somewhere under all the repetitious pages about Jesse's same problems. What was a side note to the character has taken center stage and the act doesn't play. Those endless passages offer no new insight or progress. No soul-searching about aiding and abetting the recent torture murder of Mr Peepers at end of the last book, no repercussions with Healey, who knew or had to guess about it, no encounters with Dix to work through it. Nothing. Adulterous spouse? Catastrophe. Murder 1? Nada. Wouldn't you say crossing that line would be a bigger deal for a law man? If we're going to talk internal life, let's not ignore the moral elephant in the room. If we're going to talk action, please get on with it. I'm sorry, I'm out.

As anyone who reads my AMAZON book reviews knows, I like to read my favorite authors in sequence. About in the early 2000's, I started to read all the Parker Series (SPENSER, STONE, SUNNY RANDALL) in sequence. I was nearing the end of each (all caught up), when Robert B. Parker passed in 2010. With the death of the author, I just naturally lamented the death of these characters as well. Luckily for his fans, Joan and family saw the need to continue. While we will always miss Mr. Parker, the appointment of Mr. Coleman means we still have Jesse and the people of Paradise among us. As I finished this one, the best thing I could say is that I don't have to wait for the next one: COLORBLIND is in my KINDLE waiting to be opened.

I am so happy to see that this series is still going and, in Reed Farrel Coleman's portrayal, we have a Jesse Stone who continues where Robert B Parker left off. I didn't really gel with Michael Brandman's version. To be honest, I got into the book via the TV films with Tom Selleck so I did things the wrong way round but that doesn't seem to have mattered as the TV image I have is congruent with what I now read. I do have to wonder what would have happened had I gone into the books cold but, to be honest, it ain't broke...Anyway, usual series rules apply insofar as it's best to read from book on and in order. With this book it is a bit more important as Jesse has a bit of a fall from grace which is better understood and accepted with the background and knowledge of what went before as he could come across in a bit of a bad light here sometimes without.So, it's Terry Jester's 75th birthday and there's a huge event being organised to celebrate. He's been a bit of a recluse of late, his limelight having dulled since his folk singing success of some 40 years since. His reputation stands though and, well, there's also the urban myth of a great album; produced but not released due to it going missing shortly after being finished. Anyway, Jesse is visited by the organisers and the powers that be, impressing on him the importance and the part that the PPD will play in the shenanigans. Jesse is still suffering from the events that transpired in the previous book and is finding it very hard to keep it together. He manages to get through Suit's wedding, just, but has to be roused from the near-dead when an old lady is found dead in amongst the scene of a home invasion. As per usual, politics gets in the way of things, as does Jesse's spiralling drinking, both things mean that he isn't as on the ball as usual. He has his resources to call on but will they be enough as the body count rises and things start to go south.I love Jesse Stone. There now, I've said it. Warts and all. Yes he's damaged goods, very much so, but I still want him in my corner when the chips are down. Despite the path of self destruction he seems to be cascading down at the moment there are many people still on his side and who are trying and help him get through. I find this side of his story to be very true to life, painfully so at times, and I think that the author has portrayed Jesse's downfall very realistically. Despite everything, Jesse is vulnerable and I guess we all just want to save him, me included!Enough of that, the story contained within this book. The party, the missing tape, the home invasion, and the increasing body count all had me running round like a headless chicken as I tried to make sense of what was happening. Did the tape exist, who played on it, who took it, where is is now and will it make its appearance in the nick of time? Talk about convoluted, not helped by Jesse's situation and current mental state.The only down side of this book for me was the absence of Suit for the majority being as he was off on honeymoon. I sure did miss the guy but the rest of the gang more than made up for his absence.Fans of Robert B Parker in general will also be delighted by a small cameo from one of his other characters towards the end of this book, with yet another one also mentioned. I've not read any of the Spenser series (yet) but have read and enjoyed the Sunny Randall books and I am delighted to see that this series is also now being continued, fingers crossed.With next in series Colorblind soon to be released I won't have too long to wait to catch up with the next instalment of what I now refer to as Trouble in Paradise!

Cracking mystery with a great cast list. Really original plot that revealed itself like an agatha Christie whodunit with Jesse Stone playing Poirot. I was impressed with this book and hope Reed continues to keep Jesse Stone and Paradise alive and evolving

Jesse is back on the bottle! I really enjoyed this book, it’s been a while since I had read a Jesse Stone and I read this and the previous one in three days! I just couldn’t put them down. I would recommend this book to Jesse Stone fans, we all want to know what happens to Jesse and we’re all hoping for a happy ever after at some point, just not yet.

Still wading through it but it is so different from the original Robert B Parker’s style. That was free flowing and gripped you from the first paragraph. This one is much harder work.

As usual all the books and films so enjoyable.In old age I can't say enough, pleasures all mine.Onto your next book....thanx