Looking for Rachel Wallace by Robert B. Parker

 I recently reread one of my favorite author's books (Wasted by Sue Grafton) and noticed that Kinsey, the private eye heroine, was reading a Robert B. Parker mystery. It caught my attention because I know Grafton doesn't drop names or references without a purpose. Because I love Grafton's work, I thought it would be worthwhile to see whom she references. I found an old used copy on Amazon and dug right in.

It was easy to see, right away, why Kinsey would read Parker. She is an iconoclast, as is Spenser, the main character in this series. Smart mouth, former police officer, cynic, and a cut-to-the-chase worker are all similarities. This book centers on Spenser's relationship and then search for a gay woman writer and their different world views. Parker did a great job in portraying some of the nuances inherent in women wanting to be treated equally and yet also being vulnerable and in need of protection. It also explores issues way ahead of its time, since it was published in 1980. There was a gut wrenching portrayal of Rachel Wallace being shamed for being gay. 

Spenser is an interesting character because he's literate and somewhat of a bully. The literary allusions are rampant and fun. He's lovable despite his rough edges and is different than Kinsey in that he does have a solid long-term love interest. He's not skittish like Kinsey. Yet the humor and smart mouth are similarly enjoyable in both characters. He's also more vulnerable; we see him crying at scene of people he needed to kill. 

This book is also a bit rough and more graphic than I would choose to have in my life, so I'm not sure if I'll pursue more in this series or not. For now, I'm moving on to other writers.