Hundred-Dollar Baby (Spenser Series #34)

by Robert B. Parker Narrated by Joe Mantegna

Overview

Once upon a time, though not so long ago, there was a girl named April Kyle-a beautiful teenage runaway who turned to prostitution to escape her terrible family life. Now, April Kyle's return in Hundred-Dollar Baby is nothing short of shocking.
When a mature, beautiful, and composed woman strides into Spenser's office, the Boston PI barely hesitates before recognizing his once and future client. Now a well-established madam herself, April is still looking for Spenser's approval, and it takes her a moment before she can ask him for his assistance.
April claims to be in the dark about who is trying to shake her and her business down, but Spenser and Hawk find ties to organized crime and local kingpin Tony Marcus, as well as a scheme to franchise her operation across the country. As Spenser again plays the gallant knight, it becomes clear that April's not as innocent as she seems. In fact, she may be her own worst enemy.

Editorial Reviews

Cynical Good Samaritan Spenser is back in the rescue business, protecting April Kyle from the brutes trying to squeeze her out of her ritzy Back Bay call-girl business. His gallantry is only slightly dented by the discovery that April and apparently everyone else in Massachusetts is a full-time liar. The 34th slot in this reader-pleasing series will light up your nights with its crisp dialogue and deep piles of dirty laundry.

Publishers Weekly

April Kyle, the damsel in distress that Spenser rescued in two earlier books, Ceremony (1982) and Taming a Sea Horse (1986), again turns to the iconic Boston PI for help in the 34th entry in Parker's popular series. Cynical yet romantic, Spenser easily handles the immediate threat of some men trying to muscle in on the high-class Boston whorehouse April is running. Unfortunately, that isn't the real problem, and Spenser without much surprise finds that April, the thugs and everyone else involved is lying to him. Instead of walking away, Spenser continues to probe, following trails that lead to New York, a con artist, mob connections and other complications. This is vintage Parker, with Spenser exchanging witty dialogue with the faithful Hawk, sexy dialogue with his beloved Susan and smart-alecky dialogue with cops and villains. The old pros can make it look easy, and that goes for both the author and his hero as they deliver the goods smoothly and with inimitable style. (Oct.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Lucky April, delivered from streetwalking to a better clientele in Ceremony and from a nasty lover in Taming a Sea-Horse. Now she's a madam protecting her turf, and she needs Spenser's help again. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Spenser, who seems to alternate these days between meaty cases and time-passers, follows School Days (2005) with a thin tale of trouble among high-class prostitutes whose only distinction is bringing back a familiar face from the past. Twenty-five years ago, Spenser rescued runaway teen April Kyle by the unorthodox means of placing her with upscale Manhattan madam Patricia Utley (Ceremony, 1982). When April ran off from her second home, Spenser was on hand to save her again (Taming a Sea-Horse, 1986). Now April, who looks great despite all the miles she's got on her, wants his help fending off the bad guys trying to horn in on the Back Bay brothel she runs. It's the work of a moment for Spenser and Hawk to send the hired bullyboys on their way, of course, but Ollie DeMars, the Southie crew chief who hired them, won't say who paid him to lean on April. Spenser's hunch is that it's Lionel Farnsworth, an ex-client of April's who's already done time for real-estate fraud. But something doesn't add up. April's business just isn't generating enough trade to be worth the trouble of stealing. Is somebody lying to Spenser? Yes. Just about everybody, as he realizes over and over and over until the curtain finally comes down with a bang. Spenser's detective chops are less in evidence than his messiah complex. Even the dialogue, always Parker's specialty, sounds suspiciously like Elmore Leonard.

APR/MAY 07 - AudioFile

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

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169059267
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	10/24/2006
Series:	Spenser Series , #34
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	1,141,751

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