The history of rock ‘n’ roll is dotted with enduring
mysteries and myths; Paul is dead, Bobby Fuller found dead, battered and doused
in gasoline in the front seat of his car, Jim Morrison, did he really die in
the bath tub and did Kurt Cobain really die from suicide, are among the most
legendary tales.
So why not create a mystery around a rock ‘n’ roll tale
of a long lost studio session from a Bob Dylan-esque singer songwriter that
featured alleged contributions and studio appearances by a cavalcade of star
performers rumored to included numerous members of the Rock ‘n’ roll Hall of
Fame?
That’s exactly what Reed Farrel Coleman has done as he
continues to churn out novels based on the characters created by the late,
great Robert B. Parker, with his latest entry in the Jesse Stone series, The Hangman’s Sonnet. This mystery is
chock full of all of the elements for a great story; criss-crossed storylines
that don’t make sense until you play out the entire storyline; plenty of
curveballs and red herrings to throw you off the scent and even a couple of
sympathetic characters who turn out to be driven by desperation to do bad
things.
Add to the mix the fact that Coleman, in the great
music tradition even takes a stab at putting the band together by spicing the
storyline to include a visit with Parker’s most famous creation, Boston-based
private investigator Spenser, who tosses a clue to Chief Stone that puts him on
the scent of a long lost audio engineer who was a prime suspect in the case of
the missing recordings, and who just happen to be related to the book’s first
victim.
This is entertaining stuff
all the way. Parker fans will always find something to quibble about, but for
my money Coleman does a nice job of keeping on point, serving up a good read
and breathing not just life, but new life into Parker’s creations. Heck he even
makes mention of long lost Sunny Randall, who is long overdue for a re-visit by
a skilled fiction hand.
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