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Mortal StakesRobert B. ParkerPublished 1975 |
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Reviewed and Researched by Lisa Shea
Spenser's third book is his first foray into the "someone's fixing the game" story. He's put on the case by Healey (from "God Save") and is looking into the Red Sox and trying to figure out if someone's fixing the game. He drinks Miller (argh) and while he talks about "Susan Silverman" he's also seeing "Brenda Loring" (always the full name). Susan's given him a birthday and xmas present so it's been a little while since the last book.
Spenser goes out to Illinois and New York on some tracking, but the rest of the story centers around Boston. He confronts a loan shark and his watchdog, asks Lt. Quirk for help. He tries to help out the trapped instead of doing what he was hired to do, which is fun, to watch his moral code develop and strengthen.
Very strangely, though, Spenser sets up two people to be killed. Remember, Spenser is the guy who a few years later later won't shoot a truly bad guy who is a mortal threat to him - just because the guy is unarmed and on the floor. For him to be deliberately setting up the death of two guys is a little on the edge of his "morality scale". He's like a colt growing into a horse - he's at that slightly awkward stage, but you can see the huge potential just around the corner.
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Lisa's Notes I like the "inside the action" stories, where you learn about something in detail. It's neat hearing about how baseball works at Fenway, and the locations are all right around Boston. You learn a bit about his past, in Illinois he mentions that he was in "infantry and a different war" when talking with a WW2 vet. It appears to be the first time he does one handed pushups to impress someone (Utley). When he's asked if he can be confidential he says "yes". He is far more evasive in later stories! He gets $100/day plus expenses. He wears a robe that Susan Silverman gave him on his last birthday. Since he was the same age in books 1 and 2, his birthday must be between late Sept. and November. However, it's bizarre that book 2 was so solidly "Susan Silverman" while this one shows Brenda and only mentions Susan in bits until the end. He goes with Brenda to a game at Fenway. He does go to Susan at the end when feeling depressed. She apparently divorced 5 years ago. Spenser still drinks heavily as he almost "doubts what he's doing" - he doesn't have the self confidence of later books. He's unsure about confronting the loan shark. He drinks Miller!! He sets up the bad guy so he can kill him. Hmmmmmmm. As much as he feels badly about doing it, he did in fact do it. The later Spenser would have figured out something else, something clever. Spenser has a fun wine quote during the picnic with Brenda. "The hamper is like the clown car at the circus. I'm waiting for the sommelier to jump out with his gold key and ask if Monsieur is pleased with the wine." About beer, Spenser says, "the worst beer I ever had was wonderful." His gun here is a .38 cal Colt detective special. He also pulls out a 12 gauge lever action Johnson pump gun with double-aught shells when threatened. He remembers times when he was a kid that the milkman and trashman used horses. He was at Inchon in Korea. The first story was Nov of '73. The second was early Sept of '74. This one takes place in the summer of '75. A note for the British amongst you - when the book says "Marty Rabb was shagging in the outfield" it means he was out in the outfield catching balls that other guys were hitting in batting practice. You can Google the phrase "shagging fly balls in the outfield" and see tons of references to this activity in sports articles. |
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Traveling in Spenser's Footprints * At Fenway Park * Jogging on the river * Yorktown tavern to see Lennie Seltzer * Church Park Apt 612, cross street from Christian Science Church * public garden * in office - Stuart St by Jake Wirth's * Linda's apartment in Marlboro * 1010 Commonwealth with Healey * Illinois - Redford Holiday Inn * NYC - Holiday Inn on West 57th Street * NYC - Scandanavian Restaurant on 58th Street * NYC - Dept of Social Services on 34th and 3rd/2nd * Apt 116 East 13th St - where Linda lived * Casa Grande on 3rd with pimp * 57 E 37th Street - Patricia Utley house * back home * Jogging at the BU gym * Yorktown Tavern with Lennie Seltzer * Maynard with Wally Hogg and Frank Doerr * Public Garden with Brenda * Church Street with Linda * Red Coach with Stanhope * Charlestown - 228 Main St - funeral parlow * Back home * Harbor Towers high rise #8 - top floor * Boston Aquarium, eyeing the sharks * Linda's apt again * Saugus - Breakhart Reservation by skating rink entrance, 30 yds in at a gully with a rock like a shark fin * Susan's House - Smithfield on 1, past common, left on main, 100 yrds from common. Small weathered shingle cape with blue window boxes. * Bucky's house * Office of police HQ * Linda's apt * His office then home * Copperfield's on Brookline Ave * The Last Hurrah |
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Spenser's Menu and Drinks * Miller High Life at Fenway Park * Asks for Brandy Alexander with Lennie, gets shot and beer * Labatt 50 Ale "tried and approved" with Linda * Talks about dark beer at Jacob Wirth's * bourbon in his office * bottle of Amstel * beer at Fenway with Brenda Loring * draft beer at outdoor cafe by city hall * French restaurant at old city hall on Tremont St - chilled bottle of Traminer * Remy Martin * draft beer in Illinois * coffee, black, in NYC * 2 drafts with pimp * 4 cut glass decanters at Utley's - sherry, cognac, port, Calvados. He has Calvados. * Restaurant at 65th Street on East side - The wings of the Dove (settles for Heineken with no draft or Amstel) * (Utley has Campari) * More Calvados at house, Utley has sherry * Amstel bottle at home * Bottle of Rose with Brenda at garden * bourbon on the rocks, shot bitters and twist with Stanhope * bourbon at office * Can of "domestic beer" at home * Rhine wine "last Sunday" with Susan while making bread * Wild turkey bourbon after shooting * turkey with ice in glass with lemon and bitters * "Beer" at home * Beer at Copperfield's * Stein of Harp * Bottle of Chablis with oysters |
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