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Robert B. Parker
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School Days (Spenser Mystery) Hardcover – September 27, 2005

by Robert B. Parker (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 2,780 ratings
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Hired by a Massachusetts grand dame to prove the innocence of her grandson, who has been implicated in a school shooting during which seven people were killed, Spenser wonders why the boy seems unconcerned about his possible wrongful imprisonment and faces difficult obstacles in the wake of unhelpful school officials and a blackmail conspiracy. By the author of Cold Service. 250,000 first printing.
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Previous page
  1. Book 33 of 52
    Spenser
  2. Print length
    304 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Putnam Adult
  5. Publication date
    September 27, 2005
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. Dimensions
    6.32 x 1.41 x 9.28 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    0399153233
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0399153235
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Any new installment in Parker's long-running series starring tough, wisecracking Boston PI Spenser is a pleasure, and this time out high-maintenance girlfriend Susan Silverman is out of town, giving readers unfettered Spenser face time. The wealthy Lily Ellsworth hires Spenser to prove the innocence of her grandson, Jared Clark, accused of a Columbine High School–style shooting that has left five students and two teachers dead. Jared has confessed to the crime, and Spenser faces major opposition from local law enforcement officials, school authorities, dysfunctional parents, opposing lawyers and deadly gang-bangers. As always, Spenser solves the case in a surprising manner, shoots some bad guys and has several attractive women offer him sex, all of which he handles in his proficient, wisenheimer way. Susan's German shorthaired pointer Pearl gets a lot of attentive babysitting, but longtime sidekick Hawk is nowhere in evidence. Those who have stuck with Spenser as Parker invented (and set loose) other case-crackers will be rewarded once again with another solid installment in this fine, enduring series. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Spenser returns! He fights, he flirts, he cooks, he wisecracks, he quotes poetry! This thirty-third outing for the Boston private eye is one of the most psychologically astute and well-choreographed entries in the entire series. And it has the added attraction of exiling Spenser's annoyingly perfect longtime girlfriend, Susan, to a conference, leaving the temporarily solo sleuth to resist some pulp fiction-like female advances with his acerbic version of knightly honor. Meanwhile, there's murder: a wealthy grandmother hires Spenser to clear her 17-year-old grandson of being the co-conspirator and co-killer in a school shooting at a private school that has left five students, a teacher, and an administrator dead. The boy's buddy has named him, and he has confessed to the crime. Everyone--police, school officials, the defense lawyer, and the immediate family--has given up on the kid, but Spenser has never seen a slammed door he didn't long to break down. Soon he's questioning everyone in the kid's circle, looking for the chink in that slammed door. Along the way, he rummages through all sorts of closets in the privileged world of the private school, turning up links to the underworld. The only flaw in this terrific performance is Parker's dialogue, which, though full of witty patter, often makes his characters sound as if they're reading an old-time-radio detective drama. Still, this is a high point in one of the genre's classic series. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Putnam Adult; First Edition (September 27, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399153233
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399153235
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.35 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.32 x 1.41 x 9.28 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 2,780 ratings

About the author

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Robert B. Parker

Robert B. Parker

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Robert B. Parker (1932-2010) has long been acknowledged as the dean of American crime fiction. His novel featuring the wise-cracking, street-smart Boston private-eye Spenser earned him a devoted following and reams of critical acclaim, typified by R.W.B. Lewis' comment, "We are witnessing one of the great series in the history of the American detective story" (The New York Times Book Review). In June and October of 2005, Parker had national bestsellers with APPALOOSA and SCHOOL DAYS, and continued his winning streak in February of 2006 with his latest Jesse Stone novel, SEA CHANGE.

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Parker attended Colby College in Maine, served with the Army in Korea, and then completed a Ph.D. in English at Boston University. He married his wife Joan in 1956; they raised two sons, David and Daniel. Together the Parkers founded Pearl Productions, a Boston-based independent film company named after their short-haired pointer, Pearl, who has also been featured in many of Parker's novels.

Parker began writing his Spenser novels in 1971 while teaching at Boston's Northeastern University. Little did he suspect then that his witty, literate prose and psychological insights would make him keeper-of-the-flame of America's rich tradition of detective fiction. Parker's fictional Spenser inspired the ABC-TV series Spenser: For Hire. In February 2005, CBS-TV broadcast its highly-rated adaptation of the Jesse Stone novel Stone Cold, which featured Tom Selleck in the lead role as Parker's small-town police chief. The second CBS movie, Night Passage, also scored high ratings, and the third, Death in Paradise, aired on April 30, 2006.

Parker was named Grand Master of the 2002 Edgar Awards by the Mystery Writers of America, an honor shared with earlier masters such as Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen.

Parker died on January 19, 2010, at the age of 77.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
2,780 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Greggorio!
5.0 out of 5 stars THE ULTIMATE SPENSER NOVEL!
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2013
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This story starts off as slow and cold as a winter's day in Boston but ends up being arguably the finest Spenser novel Mr Parker ever wrote, and surely one of the all time great detective stories. The ending to the case is simply brilliant and completely satisfying as well as sufficiently complex to allow the reader to forgive Mr Parker for the slow start. A detective story this brilliant with such a strong social conscience needs to be recognised so it is a shame this book did not receive any official recognition from the industry at the time of its release.

Anyway, Spenser is hired to clear a school student of a mass murder charge but no body is talking and everybody (including the local police) wants the case - and Spenser - to go away. Our man Spenser soon finds out how easy it is to come up against brick walls and before he knows it he has made more enemies than friends on this case. This story is Susan- less and the entertainment factor drops a little without her sexiness to heat up the pages on a cold winter's night.

But Spenser being Spenser, we know that he is up to the job of sticking up for the wronged and just like Superman, he is sure to fight for truth, justice and the American way. Spenser has a feeling of wrongness about the case; early on in the story, he just doesn't know exactly WHAT is wrong. The more he digs, the less he knows but stubbornness prevails and he finally makes a breakthrough which rips the heart out if the bad guys.

The sharp, biting and amusing dialogue is there as per Mr Parker's usual high standard and so once again this is another fantastic mystery and great purchase from the world's greatest book store!

BFN Greggorio
8 people found this helpful
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A Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Ciao bella -- Could we be so lucky?
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2006
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As so many reviewers here have said, it's quite remarkable how much more taut, crisp, bright, and engaging a Spenser book can be with Susan Silverman neatly removed, compared to the staleness and heaviness of the other Parker books which she permeates. For a long time, I had trouble admitting to myself that I found her ungenerous, controlling, compulsive, self-centered and tedious. For, in every new book, Parker continued to show Spenser besotted by her, and it wasn't easy to look past how he saw her, and judge her by what she actually did and said. The first book in a long time that is free of her is a real delight in many ways. But this book might turn out to be considerably more than that. It could be the turning point of the Spenser series. What stands out most about School Days -- and what might possibly mean that something wonderful is going to happen -- is that Spenser himself complains about her more than he has ever done. And he is right on target every time he does it. Could Parker be preparing a massive rejuvenation of the whole series and actually be thinking of getting rid of Susan? Could it be even better than that and mean that Spenser will see through her and let go of her himself? Just the thought makes hope rise and the heavens open. And how true it would be to Spenser's character. How much it would show Parker's profound understanding of him. It would be the truth that would win Spenser's ultimate loyalty, not his fantasy of a true love, who may never have been what he believed her to be. Is it possible that all of us who write reviews about how much better he is without her could have seen that so clearly, if Spenser himself is not, on some level, seeing it, too? It might be messy on the home front for Parker to do it, but he seems to be giving us delicious hints in School Days, that he might be willing to bite the bullet and let Spenser have the insight of his life.
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J.C. Barr
5.0 out of 5 stars "School Days", a story of our time by Robert B. Parker
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2014
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Although quite gripping and suspenseful, with Spenser as usual putting his life on the line, and the body count climbing, this is a very thought-provoking book.

Two very young men are accused of the murder of several of their schoolmates. There is a chilling similarity to many of the High School massacres in the US we hear of on the evening news.

Everyone seems prepared to put these boys in gaol and throw away the key. It seems they are an embarrassment to their families, to the teachers and faculty, to the police and even to the psychologists supposed to evaluate them. They all, including the parents of the boys simply want to 'put this unfortunate incident behind them'.

But Spenser feels something in the scenario doesn't add up. Unlike everyone else he wants to know why this happened.
He discovers things which have gone completely unnoticed by parents and teachers alike, and despite every attempt to thwart him, he eventually discovers the truth as well as the underlying causes.

Among other things he considers the pressure-cooker effect of expectations on the young, and the effects of forcing young people, especially boys, to study subjects for which they are quite unfitted and which they find terminally boring. This book shows just how far boredom at this level can push those not academically suited to such studies.

The book can be read and enjoyed as a simple mystery yarn, but is really much more.

I definitely recommend it.
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Rich North
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the top Spenser books. Read this one for sure!
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2021
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Having read almost all the Spenser novels (alas), I can safely say this was one of my favorites. The author lets Spenser romp about a private secondary school and then some. Educational institutions are top locales for Spenser. His descriptions of faculty and administrators are memorable.

A true added benefit of the book is the absence of Susan, who is off in North Carolina attending a longish conference. Hawk is also absent for some believable reason--- I forget what right now. This places Spenser on his own and in a setting involving two apprehended school shooters. One of the kids seems off so Spenser digs deeper. This lands Sp. in the world of psychosexual complexities that he has to figure out. Fortunately the long distance phone call to Susan isn't abused and Sp works it out on his own.

To repeat, one of the best.

Rich North
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Top reviews from other countries

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Neil T
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2024
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Typical Spenser fare - but with no Hawk! Our wise-cracking PI is looking to determine why two young men shot up their school and killed and wounded several people. Needless to say not everyone is being helpful.

Well written, pacey, a mix of humour and action, what's not to like?
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Navneet Singh
5.0 out of 5 stars Spenser is Best
Reviewed in India on March 19, 2021
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This book lived up to its promised roller coaster of suspense. I can eagerly wait for another one! Not sure if any new ones coming.
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NicShef❤️Reading
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating...
Reviewed in Australia on December 17, 2017
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Although quite gripping and suspenseful, with Spenser as usual putting his life on the line, this is a very thought-provoking book.
Robert B. Parker latest novel addresses the growing number of school shootings in the US. He did so with his signature quirky narrative, yet beneath this there are serious observations about cause and effect, and responsibility for actions which makes this riveting reading.

Spenser, our unique yet highly entertaining investigator, is lying low in his office when Lily Ellsworth, a wealthy grandmother marches in whose grandson was involved in a school shooting in a flashy white suburb of Boston. She refuses to believe he's guilty and engages Spenser to prove the seventeen-year-old boy’s innocence.

Spenser's determination to find the "why" was a great premise for the plot in SCHOOL DAYS, # 33 in the series (but like all of these novels can be read stand alone or out of order). Spenser heads to Bethel County, Massachusetts and discovers no one wants him there. The untangling of this mess unravels other sordid goings on in the area.

Chief Cromwell is full of bluster, and he doesn’t want Spenser asking questions because of his own guilt — (he got the initial call and wasn’t experienced enough to know how to react). Garner, the school principal, would also like to put the tragedy behind the school.

With one boy, Wendell, fingering the other, Jared, and then Jared confessing that he’s guilty, it seems cut and dry. But Spenser is Spenser, and there’s something here he can’t quite put his finger on. When Spenser realises the story he’s getting in regard to Jared’s school life — from other kids — is in stark contrast to what the guidance counsellor is telling him that Jared told her, he takes off the gloves and does some more serious poking around. It leads to discovering academic betrayals of trust, blackmail, and unplanned murders.

There is a lot going on here, from failure to flourish to sexual blackmail. When Spenser finally gets to the bottom of the why regarding the shooting, he’s in for another revelation.

Ultimately, this is Spenser in fine form, He is a great character and always provides a fun and enjoyable read. The story is outstanding with twists and turns which follow are fascinating. Highly recommended.
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Corby
4.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Spenser book
Reviewed in Canada on August 25, 2014
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Great read as always, Spenser is in good form. This one does not star Hawk nor Susan.
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Peter Braukmann
5.0 out of 5 stars Spannung pur
Reviewed in Germany on May 13, 2014
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Spenser und sein Kumpel Hawk sind einfach nicht zu toppen. Wie immer schreibt Parker unterhaltend und spannend und Spenser und co agieren wie gute alte Freunde.
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