Hundred-Dollar Baby

By Robert B. Parker

This is a review of an audiobook I listened to on my commute, another Parker mystery, a Spenser novel. Like, most of the other Parker novels I've listened to, especially the Spenser ones, this is a good listen. Joe Mantegna once again proves himself a great voice actor. Once again, the story is engaging and thought-provoking.

Spenser is visited by an old acquaintance, April Kyle, apparently a runaway girl he helped out sometime in the past (I'm certain she's featured in a previous Spenser novel, but I don't know which one; I haven't read all the Spenser books). Apparently April was a runaway girl turned prostitute who he hooked up with a classy madam, Patricia Utley, so she could be a safer hooker. Parker is such a skilled writer that I didn't need to read the previous books to understand who she was or where she came from. I love the fact that the Parker novels can be read out of order, or with gaps in between. Relationships evolve over the course of the books—after all, it's not a sit-com—but Parker is able to fill in the gaps for readers who may have missed previous novels without boring dedicated Spenser fans.

Kyle has been put in charge of a new brothel for Utley, in a high-class mansion. The girls April employs are high-class hookers: educated women, many of them housewives who find work in the sex trade a pleasant diversion. April's business is put in jeopardy by someone trying to squeeze "protection" money from her: a fee so high it would drive her out of business. He's even sent thugs out to her place to scare away customers. In any case, she's already greasing the palm of the local figure whose area she's operating in. She wants Spenser to stop the attacks. He does but can't resist the urge to investigate further. April begs him to stop, but, Spenser being Spenser, he can't stop until he has the entire situation figured out. What emerges is a web of deceit, greed and the fragile psyche of April Kyle.

I have no idea what the title of this book refers to. I assume it's a term used for prostitutes or prostitution—I don't know. It's never mentioned or referred to in the book. I guess Parker assumes everyone knows what a "hundred-dollar baby" is and shouldn't have to be told. I don't. That's okay. But the prostitutes appearing in this book charge much more than $100. After all, they're classy.

This book features numerous Spenser-universe recurring characters, including Hawk, April Kyle, Spenser's love interest, Susan Silverman, gay strong-arm Teddy Sapp, Patricia Utley, Tony Marcus (and his troupe of henchmen including Leonard, Ty-Bop and Junior). I feel fortunate to have read enough previous books to know who many of these characters are, such as Tony Marcus. But even if I hadn't, as I mentioned earlier, Parker gives background information on recurring characters so I wouldn't be lost. But hearing about them in earlier novels gave me a fuller understanding of how they fit into the Spenser-universe.

Listening to this book was completely enjoyable. Mantegna has the Spenser character down perfectly and meshes with what I think Spenser should sound like. The only sad note is that now my local library is out of Spenser (and Parker) novels. The only way I'll read more is by buying the audio CDs myself or *gasp* actually reading them (a tricky and dangerous proposition while driving). I may go back and start reading the whole Spenser series from the beginning, but, unfortunately, I won't be able to listen to them in the car. Amazon.com seems to have all the novels, in paperback at least, and they're cheap. I guess it's the least I can do for Parker, to at least buy his books, for all the hours of enjoyment he's given me with several of his novels.

All in all, a good Parker book, featuring your favorite private eye, Spenser. Not at all formula fiction, a trap which many writers eventually resort to. This book kept me guessing all the way until the resolution.

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External links

• Hundred-Dollar Baby page from Robert B. Parker's website