Fans of Robert B. Parker will enjoy latest Jesse Stone mystery
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"Robert B. Parker's Fallout" by Mike Lupica is the 21st in the popular bestselling series that showcases Paradise, Massachusetts, police chief Jesse Stone.
Originally created by Parker, Lupica continues the literary tradition as Stone tries to solve two puzzling crimes.
Promising high-school baseball player Jack Carlisle, the nephew of Luther "Suitcase" Simpson, is discovered dead at the bottom of a bluff, a day after winning the league championship game.
Simpson, an officer working for Stone, and his family are devastated.
Stone leads the investigation, trying to decide if it was suicide or if the star player was killed.
But that's not Stone's only problem; his longtime friend, former Paradise police chief Charlie Farrell, is found murdered.
Farrell had been frustrated by a series of scam calls that were preying on the elderly; he was close to figuring out who was responsible.
Stone and his staff are working on both cases, trying to piece together clues and find out what really happened.
Violence hits close to home as gunshots are fired; life-changing dark secrets are revealed and the action escalates.
Stone and his crew get help from many sources, including cops, former cops, reporters, mob members and assorted thugs.
Sunny Randall and other women from Stone's past and present play important roles; he's still struggling with alcoholism.
The convoluted plot threads come together nicely; the determined hard work and insights of Stone's assistant chief Molly Crane are vital.
Longtime Parker fans should enjoy "Fallout," Lupica's latest highly entertaining effort.
Newcomers may want to try earlier entries in the series, as there are numerous references to previously solved cases.
Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing's Curious Book Shop, has been reviewing crime novels and Michigan books regularly since 1987. His email address is raywalsh@voyager.net.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Fans of Robert B. Parker will enjoy latest Jesse Stone mystery
