Robert Parker's successor writes his first Spencer novel

Don't  know if you ever read  crime-solving books by Robert Parker. He died in  2010, appropriately collapsing over his word processor as any writer might choose to do. Apparently the book in progress had notes complete enough that the book was completed and published.

In an unusual move, Parker's wife and children sold the rights to his series (there are three) to another writer, Ace Atkins.  They felt he knew Parker's moods and characters for these books well enough to continue them.

The writing style, of course, can't be duplicated. Parker wrote with a sparse use of words in short sentences that somehow conveyed a great deal of emotion and meaning. His characters were complicated.  He communicated this with the short sentences and paragraphs wonderfully well.
Parker's books were not thick. They were a fast read, and oddly rich in satisfaction.

Atkins'  "Cheap Shot" is his first book since he bought the series from Parker's estate.

The plot is definitely vintage Parker. All the cast members pretty much show up in their traditional roles. Sometimes I think he takes traits from earlier books rather than the later, and that's okay.  It is a Spencer book, Parker's longest-running series that got the television gig years back.

It was okay, maybe better than that for me.I  probably read every single book the man ever wrote, including the single novels before he started the Spencer series.

I read pretty omnivorously and definitely voraciously. I'm always looking for something to read. So I''ll  probably read another one or two or three.

This Spencer is just ....not-as.  Milk chocolate when I wanted dark.

It's a tricky business, taking on a character someone else developed and carrying them forward.  So much is really close to Parker. Maybe spot on.

Read it and see what you think. I'd like to hear some feedback.

Come to think of it, I haven't read anything else by Atkins. I ought to correct that.