Defining What It Means to Be a Healthy Woman Today
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Perish Twice is the second in Robert Parker's new series about his female private detective, Ms. Sunny Randall. No one who reads the story will miss the similarities to Spenser. Through the parallels, you can begin to see more clearly Mr. Parker's thesis about what being a good, honest person should be about. What constitutes a proper life for women and men is remarkably similar. As in the Spenser books, most people don't get it. His interpretation of the proper feminist version of goodness and a healthy mind becomes more obvious in Perish Twice than in any other book by Mr. Parker. This transparency is helped by his setting up so many alternative models of women who are either phony, hypocritical, or miserable (or perhaps a little of each). As with the previous Sunny Randall book, Family Honor, this one makes Sunny a little too dependent on her hoodlum ex-in-laws to be totally palatable. The story has four major plot lines. The primary one revolves around a bodyguard job that Sunny does for a high profile feminist, Ms. Mary Lou Goddard. Someone is threatening Ms. Goddard. Sunny soon spots a stalker and tracks him down. The path from there takes many twists. The second one involves Sunny's sister Elizabeth who wants to know if her husband is cheating on her. Sunny quickly finds out that he is, and Sunny plays chaperone and analyst for her emotionally floundering and confused sister. The third relates to her friend, Julie, who suddenly walks away from her marriage. The fourth continues Sunny's relationship with her ex-husband, Richie. Each plot line crosses the others from time to time, providing for a rewarding set of developments. The mystery in the book has two very interesting features. First, it develops surprising depth after what appears to be a very simple beginning and initial plot. Second, Mr. Parker leaves the ending at a place where many stories don't end. As a result, you will have many thoughts about what the story means that you would not otherwise have. That's a fine bit of writing. So you have at least two nice surprises to look forward to enjoying. After you finish this book, you should think about why connecting to other people is so difficult and painful. Another useful question might be why we don't draw more love and support from our connections to one another. What's missing? Put honoring your values ahead of pursuing your needs, if you want to enjoy self-respect.
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It takes time to get to know her....
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Sunny Randall is fun to read. Some readers though make too much of the similarities between her and Spenser. There are definite differences that some seem to miss. She definitely a woman. There's one scene where she's investigating the murdered man's apartment and notes that he hadn't done a good job of cleaning the bathroom fixtures. I doubt that Spenser would've particularly noticed that. There's a difference also in her confidence level. She rightly doesn't have Spenser's confidence when it comes to physical confrontation although that might change in time with enough visits to the gym with Spike. And while there are partial counterparts to characters in the Spenser series, they are only partial. Spike isn't Hawk. Nor is Richie. Richie isn't a male Susan either. Julie isn't Susan Silverman. Parker is good in his use of characters we know from the Spenser series in this series. We see a different side of Tony Marcus than Spenser sees. Lee Farrell appears in this, and Spenser fans should get a laugh out of one scene in this book...an encounter between Farrell and Sunny's client while Sunny's watching. We get a laugh because we know more about Farrell than either Sunny or the militant feminist client. Don't expect a truly satisfying ending. Some will find it weak, but I think Parker knew what he was doing. This type of ending does make a person think. I did have mixed reactions to this book, but it is enjoyable and if you like Parker, you should enjoy this.
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If you are a Parker fan prepare to be disappointed
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If you are a fan of Robert B. Parker, and particularly of his Spenser series, this is disappointing.
The Sunny Randall books contain alot of parallels to the Spenser books - set in Boston with some overlapping characters (look out for Lee Farrell and Tony Marcus)- but none of the consistency.
In the first book in the series Sunny 'adopts' a teenager with parental problems (ring any bells?) but in this second book the kid gets no mention. This book is built around a prominent Lesbian but at no point is it mentioned that Lee Farrell is gay ... even though he investigates the crime.
A readable book, interesting for it's Spenser parallel's but essentially disappointing.
Hurry back Spenser!
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Certainly not Parker's best effort
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This is certainly not Robert Parker's best effort. Those accustomed to the fast pace and easy charm of Spenser will be disappointed with the thin story line and rather petulant heroine. I don't think Parker does women particularly well, so Sunny is a two dimensional character and it is difficult to appreciate what motivates her. In Spenser Parker has created a male archetype, however, as a keen reader of Parker's books I have always felt that he is prone to put women on a pedestal and that often his female characters lack realness or are annoying (Susan for example, a most irritating character). This lack of strong characterisation could be overcome with a strong story line but sadly this one is very thin and failed to engage me. Three quarters way through the book I frankly didn't give a damn what happened to any of the characters. It is understandable that Parker wants to try out other characters, he must be getting a bit sick of Spenser, but I think Jesse Stone is more promising. Despite the great potential of Sunny Randall I don't think the character will work if she is just a female Spenser who sometimes cries.
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Spenser is a bit of a drag
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Is the hand of Helen Hunt visible in this second outing for Sunny Randall? It seems a whole lot different in its pace and fragrant tone to Ms Randall's debut. The action here is strictly pedestrian and, for the first time with a Parker novel, I found I had to flick back to check on a character. Also for the first time, I did not read it quickly. What we have here is a PI with attitude and a dog, and even a black buddy. What we have here is poor bloody Spenser in drag - and what a drag it is. It is certainly touchy-feely and after it I feel I will not touch another Sunny Randall book, at least until it's in paperback. I await the movie with breath that is strictly unbated.
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