HUNDRED-DOLLAR BABY

This is the third appearance of April Kyle, originally a runaway teenage hooker, now a sophisticated Boston madam. Once again, she needs rescuing by Boston’s preeminent soft-hearted tough guy—Spenser. Joe Mantegna’s pace is perfect for bringing our hero to life, along with his usual gang. This is no mean feat as Parker has spent a generation developing and perfecting the characters and voices in this series. There’s no disappointment in Mantegna’s rendering of women, blacks, Boston cops, or South Boston gangsters. Readers of Parker will find that listening to Mantegna’s Spenser is as exciting as each new story in the series. M.C. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 07]