Flashfire

This is the best of the recent Parker books, on a par with the great ones of the past, like Butcher's Moon. Definitely worth reading. Stark/Westlake is an amazingly good writer, who has created both the funniest criminal of all time (Dortmunder) and the most serious bad guy around (Parker). Sometime check out his non-fiction, too: Under An English Heaven is a terrific book.

Every genre has its masters. In the caper novel, one of the masters, actually one of the grandmasters, is Donald Westlake. Whether writing Parker novels as Richard Stark or the Dortmunder books (Parker's comic opposite) under his own name, Westlake always delivers.To those unfamiliar with Parker (most recently portrayed cinematically in the fun movie, Payback), he is a violent and generally amoral thief whose cold, almost mechanical approach to his job and life lead to his general success. Parker is not a nice guy, but he is compelling to read about. The story this time is familiar enough; Parker gets ripped off and goes after the thieves who betrayed him. Along the way, he makes enemies and allies who complicate his plans. Revenge isn't the proper word for what Parker seeks, since that would imply a level of emotions that he doesn't have; instead, Parker seeks balance: those who defy his code must be punished to restore balance.How important is this sense of balance to Parker? Along the way to his final confrontation, he winds up stealing far more than he originally lost, but it means little: he still wants the original money. He is actually more interested in people who steal from him than people who kill him.If you like crime novels, you can't go wrong with Parker (or Westlake's books in general). Reading a Parker novel gets to the basics of what a caper book is all about: clever plotting and plenty of action.

This was my introduction to the work of Richard Stark (aka Donald Westlake) and I just loved Parker. The character is a compelling blend of bad guy with good reason that reminded me powerfully of Patricia Highsmith's Ripley. It's quite a feat to put the reader squarely on the side of someone who, basically, is not a nice person. Highsmith did it; Stark/Westlake has done it, too. The man is a fine writer, with the gift of economy; no unnecessary descriptions, just pure driving narrative and vivid characterizations. I plan to get all the previous Parker books just as soon as I finish writing this review. Highly recommended.

Donald E. Westlake may be known primarily for his comedic crime novels, particularly the Dortmunder series, but when writing as Richard Stark displays a much darker personality. Stark's Parker novels were on a long sabatical, but in the past few years have come back strong. The latest book has a relatively straight forward plot in which Parker attempts to get even with a crime gang he hooked up with before a parting of the ways. The Parker novels have some humor, but there is no mistaking the hard edge of the lead character who will kill at a moment's notice if things don't go his way. A Parker novel is best described as hard, and this one is no exception. The title refers to the modus operandi used by a crime gang when pulling of bank heists or a really big jewelry job. Parker feels cheated out of his share of the former caper, and plots to get even with his former cronies. Parker needs money to realize his scheme, and goes on a crime spree, netting more money than originally at stake, before heading to Palm Beach, the site of the novel's main action. Some readers may find the crime spree more interesting than the later action. In addition to the main plot, there is a subplot threatening Parker's life that has the potential to change the entire direction of the book. Fans of Westlake's lighter crime books should definitely check out the Stark novels. Those who saw Mel Gibson in Payback, an early Parker novel may be surprised that Parker is not the anti-hero type, but a flat-out criminal and killer (when necessary).

About two hundred miles from Omaha, Parker and his three cohorts rob a bank with Parker causing the diversion with a nearby firebomb. After succeeding in this endeavor Parker's partners blithely inform him that they need his share of the loot as seed money to conduct a bigger heist on an island near Palm Beach, Florida. However, his former accomplices make one mistake when they abscond with Parker's portion of the booty, the trio leaves Parker alive. Besides Parker wanting his money, no one cheats him out of his due so he follows Melander, Carlson, and Ross to Florida. He plans to trump his former friends by doing the jewelry job they were set to perform. However, Parker has also has blundered because someone not only recognizes him, but wants him dead. FLASHFIRE is an excellent Parker tale that marks the return one of the great anti-heroes in American mystery literature. The story line is entertaining due to the lead character's criminal abilities that Richard Stark effortlessly brings alive in the well-written, fast-paced plot. Fans and new readers will enjoy this tale while seeking out previous books and movies (that both go back to the sixties) of a legendary protagonist.Harriet Klausner