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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780425217559
ISBN number: 0425217558
Label: Berkley
Manufacturer: Berkley
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 320
Printing Date: September 04, 2007
Publishing house: Berkley
Sale Popularity Level: 15128
Studio: Berkley
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
April Kyle, a prostitute from Spenser's past, comes back into his life-with deadly complications.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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I've been reading Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels since they were very first published in 1975, and I've never missed one since. So I'm speaking as a longtime fan.
Yes, the series has had its ups and downs. Yes, lately the author is being self-referential, bringing back characters from previous books in guest appearances, for better or worse. (Certain passing references will make more sense if you know the series as a whole.) Yes, Spenser's interludes with Susan are getting increasingly predictable: the action stops in its tracks while Susan defines what just happened in psychological terms, and then it's back to the story. "Potshot" looked like a winner, with Spenser's gang revving up to do battle in a Western town, until the unforgivable end (no battle, no climax, and no finish). "School Days" also just stopped, without a satisfying conclusion. The author's once-gripping, blow-by-blow descriptions of fight scenes (epitomized in the masterful "The Judas Goat") had become non-events that cheated the reader. So I was frankly expecting "another good read but no payoff" when I read "Hundred-Dollar Baby."
The joke was on me: Spenser is back to form. All the familiar hallmarks of vintage Spenser are here, with wisecracking dialogue up to par, characters as colorful as ever (although law enforcer Martin Quirk suddenly appears without introduction -- new Spenser readers won't know who he is), and a good, flavorful plot. Best of all for Spenser's admirers, there's a surprising revelation of the culprit's identity at the end, and Parker then tops it with an even bigger surprise (escaping from the culprit's point-blank showdown).
Spenser has been on the scene for three decades, and like other venerable characters he's garnered a loyal following. And we've grown a bit older with him. These days, reading the latest Spenser adventure is like watching late Cagney or Bogart -- older and mellower, not as much zip as in days of yore, but still comfortable and enjoyable, and well worth your time.
Some of the reviews on this page are greeting "Hundred-Dollar Baby" as a valedictory. I hope not. There's plenty of life in this series, and I'm looking forward to the further adventures of Robert B. Parker's greatest character.
Rated by buyers -
I have to confess, I didn't read the book. I listened to the audio version of Hundred Dollar Baby. I've not experienced any of Parker's books before so I was meeting Spenser and company for the very first time. Parker knows his characters inside and out. I enjoyed the interplay between Spenser and Hawk and learning about Spenser's 'softer side' in relation to Susan and Pearl. The mystery, I felt, was a bit predictable as it was clear who the guilty party was long before the end. I also found the conversations between Susan and Spenser to be a bit repetitive. (She does go on a bit about her degree.) All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I would pick up another Parker novel and jump into Spenser's world again.
Rated by buyers 
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I've read nearly all the Spenser novels, and this is definitely one of the weaker ones.
HUNDRED-DOLLAR BABY re-introduces April Kyle, the high-class prostitute last seen in TAMING A SEA HORSE. Kyle has never been a particularly likable character, although Spenser does see her as something of a daughter figure due to her very difficult past. Anyway, Kyle is in trouble again, and Spenser investigates on her behalf, only to find out that her motives may be less than pure.
The plot of HUNDRED DOLLAR BABY is sluggish, and I didn't find it very suspenseful or involving. This is one of those stories where it's hard to find someone to root for. It's not hard to figure out how the story will end, although I do give Parker credit for an unsentimental finish. This is definitely not the best Spenser book to start with, since it features a multitude of characters that were very first introduced in earlier books.
This book was okay, but I doubt most casual readers would like it. My advice is to skip this novel unless you're a hard core Spenser fan.
Rated by buyers 
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Spenser, Hawk and Susan. Ought to have everything. But the plot is a little slow and a rehash of prior books.
A good read, for a sequal.
Rated by buyers -
Once again, Spenser is the principled good guy, risking his life, this time for April Kyle. Years before, Spenser had "rescued" her from a life of prostitution on the streets, but the best he could do was to set her up in a high-class bordello in New York City. April has branched out to having her own business, but she is being shaken down. Therefore, she turns once again to Spenser, in the hopes that he will solve the problem.
However, even with the help of Susan, Hawk, Belsen and Tedy Sapp, Spenser has trouble with this case. Most of the problems are a consequence of April lying about everything. There are two murders, some rough stuff easily handled and at the end, it all comes together. The "solution" is not one that Spenser enjoys, but given all that has happened, it probably was for the best.
Over time, fictional characters fall victim to "character rot." Authors start to run out of new ideas; the books about those characters seem to keep coming out with regularity but without the sparks of originality. Spenser and his supporting characters are still within the same mold, to change them significantly would be to truly destroy their charm. However, there is a growing sameness to the stories and in this one, there is a lack of the humorous banter that was a powerful force in the previous books. Spenser is beginning to show his age.
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