Split Image

We'll never know how Robert B. Parker intended to carry through in the continuing development of the Jesse Stone-Sunny Randall relationship, but at least we have this novel which, at the very least, holds out the promise they each can address their psychological roadblocks: Jesse's lingering love for his ex-wife and Sonny's prolonged infatuation with her former husband. But more important, Parker wrote another fine mystery novel in his inimitable style. It is a pretty racy subject, involving a couple of murders and how two sex-crazy women, twins married to two gangsters, are involved. At the same time, Sonny takes on a cult to try to rescue a young woman. Written with the same aplomb and pithy dialogue as all Parker novels, "Split Image" is at the same time amusing and full of surprises. Parker, of course, died recently, but he left behind some new books to be enjoyed, as well as a legacy of more than 50 novels, of which this is of equal quality, and highly recommended.

Robert B. Parker is another of my favorite writers. I have read all of his books. I am sad that he died recently, and this is probably the last of his books. It was an enjoyable read. I love Jesse Stone and was glad he gave up on his exwife Jen.

"He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out." -- Isaiah 48:21 I held off starting this book until I had absorbed and become accustomed to the news of Robert B. Parker's passing. Rather than anticipating that there would be dozens more Parker novels coming soon, I realized that the time had come to more carefully examine and consider the last few novels in the editorial pipeline. Split Image was a pleasant surprise for me in several dimensions. Although the cover refers to this as a Jesse Stone novel, there's quite a lot of Sunny Randall in the book, too, as she pursues a private investigation in Paradise, that well-known home and haunt for mobbed-up crooks and moral-appearing bad guys. Their interactions are rich in this series, and Split Image is one of the best books for bringing out the foundations for the mutual attractions and hurdles. In addition, Mr. Parker has handled a sexually tinged story with much more deftness than he usually did in the past. Sometimes his novels seem to be more like exercises in voyeurism concerning the vulgar than they are stories about human sexuality in all of its dimensions. To me the best police procedural and crime novels start with an unusual premise . . . and then play out in unexpected ways. Here the premise is one that I would never have come up with in a million years: Two mobsters who don't care that much for one another marry twins and live next door to one another in (where else?) Paradise. In many police procedurals, you know exactly what to expect from the beginning. Mr. Parker rewards us with a plot that has more surprises to keep things interesting than we have any right to expect. I liked that. In some of Mr. Parker's novels from recent years, the psychological element is so large in the book that you might feel like you are in a therapy session yourself rather than reading about crime, criminals, and the idealists (Don Quixote's in disguise) Mr. Parker likes to set after those who need punishment. In Split Image, that element adds to the story and doesn't weigh too heavily. How would I characterize this story? Everything works together in a nice balance. If I hadn't read the book, I would have been skeptical that there was still a novel to be written about Jesse Stone that would be this satisfying. Bravo, Mr. Parker! I'm sorry you aren't here to read this praise. I'm going to miss your amazing dialogue and your ability to craft unusual stories such as this one that leave me hungry for more.

The passing of Robert Parker is truly a sad event for the fans of both Spenser and Jesse Stone. "Split Image" shows Parker still at the top of his game. A master of snappy dialogue and careful plotting that is never over written gives his fans an experience he has been providing for more than three decades. Knowing that there are still a few manuscripts left in the pipeline is little consolation. "Split Image" should not be missed by mystery/ detective fiction. A great reading experience for a late night story time that includes two separate mysteries that need Jesse's attention, so Sunny Randall makes another appearance to help him along, and to renew their romance. Good time.

Split Image: A Jesse Stone Novel Robert B Parker 2010 Good, solid Parker 5* If you've liked the recent Jesse Stone novels such as Night and Day, this one should appeal to you as well, mellow and thoughtful as opposed to exciting and suspenseful. Jesse's personal relations and thoughts (and those of Sunny Randall who also figures prominently in the book) seem equally as important as the actual criminal cases and investigative work, and even those are remarkably low key for a double gang-land homicide, religious cults and abductions. Jesse's case shows up in the trunk of an abandoned Cadillac, the corpse of one Petrov Ognowski, a small time strong-arm man who worked for Reggie Galen, a mob boss supposedly retired to Paradise ... right next door to another major thug, Knocko Moynihan. When Jesse visits Reggie and Knocko, he is astonished to find them maried to two beautiful and charming women, identical twins, both seemingly devoted to their husbands ... which triggers a fit of jealous depression when he compares them to his ex, Jenn. The plot only thickens when another mobster is found dead in Paradise, and others disappear from the Galen and Moynihan enclaves, and, in typical Parker fashion, Jesse digs into the past of the lovely twins, revealing that not all is well in Paradise. Sunny Randall, meanwhile, visits Jesse to ask a bit of help with her current case, finding a young woman who has joined a religious group called the Bond of the Renewal, which has set up shop in Paradise, and encourage her to come home. The Renewal seems relatively straightforward, Cheryl DeMarco there by her own choice, and indeed the Concord-dwelling parents far wackier and more sinister. Of course not all is well in this corner of Paradise either. Jesse, as usual, skirmishes with the Demon Rum (ok, Scotch), even loses a round or two, and vents to his wise ex-cop therapist, Dix. Sunny, meanwhile, runs off to her own wise therapist ... someone named Susan Silverman who practices in Cambridge. Since Spenser isn't dragged into this one, Sunny takes over the role of commenting on how beautiful and "put together" Susan is, and reminding us that she has a Harvard Ph.D. They both have breakthroughs, or at least insights (so why do they still need to go back after all these years?), and discuss their respective therapies with each other amidst occasional canoodling. For the Renewal case has brought the two together again (as foreshadowed in Night and Day). They end on a tentative note, still haunted by the ghosts of Jesse's Jenn and Sunny's mobster ex, Richie. Alas, we'll never know whether they can find a relationship in the here and now, burying those ghosts, or will continue floundering in the Paradise tides. I could give this 4 or 5 *s, but will round up as a farewell gesture.