Rough Weather

By: Robert B. Parker

Narrated by: Joe Mantegna

“Robert B. Parker is that rarity–a prolific author whose books are consistently original, suspenseful and fascinating. His crackling dialogue is always fresh and smart-alecky. You’re happily hooked before you know it.”-Forbes

Heidi Bradshaw is wealthy, beautiful, and well connected–and she needs Spenser’s help. In a most unlikely request, Heidi, a notorious gold digger recently separated from her latest husband, recruits the Boston P.I. to accompany her to her private island, Tashtego, for her daughter’s wedding. Spenser is unsure of what his role as personal bodyguard will entail, but he consents when it’s decided that he can bring his beloved Susan Silverman along.

It should be a straightforward job for Spenser: show up for appearances, have some drinks, and spend some quality time with Susan. Yet when his old nemesis Rugar–the Gray Man–arrives on Tashtego, Spenser realizes that something is amiss. With a hurricane-level storm brewing outside, the Gray Man jumps into action, firing fatal shots into the crowd of wedding guests and kid- napping the bride–but Spenser knows that the sloppy guns-for-hire abduction is not Rugar’s style. Unable to prevent the attack, Spenser will stop at nothing to recover the kidnapped bride and figure out how the Gray Man is connected. It’s up to Spenser to decide who the real enemy is . . . before more people end up dead.

Critic reviews

Praise for Rough Weather

“Rough Weather is bliss.”—The Spectator

“Comically acerbic...the reader is treated to all the familiar pleasures...Spenser sitting in his office overlooking Berkeley Street in Boston; the knock on the door announcing a client; Spenser's rapier repartee with client and suspects; the return of his love, Susan, given a larger role here; the always amusing interplay with the mercurial Hawk, Spenser's muscle; and Parker's graceful descriptions of interiors, meals, and clothes.”—Booklist

“As usual, Parker's crisp, unadorned style is superb. Parker remains a major figure in American crime fiction.”—Associated Press

“Robert B. Parker at his very best with a great suspenseful mystery enhanced by the hero’s even greater love for Susan...The storyline is fast-paced from the moment the Gray Man arrives in a shockingly fumbled caper, but it is the dry-witted Spenser who turns the tale into a thriller’s thriller.”—Midwest Book Review

Yet another great Spenser book

Great listen. Another classic Spenser book. Robert B Parker at the top of his game. Spenser Hawk battle the Grey Man yet again.

Good light read

For an avid reader of crime fiction, this may sound funny, but this is the first 'Spencer' book i've read or listened to. I thought it was a good story, and the characters were interesting, though the sarcasm and macho attitude got a little tiresome. (And yet sometimes, it was pretty funny too.) I might read another in the series someday, but won't rush out to do so. For narration, i like Montagna's voice generally, but found it a little flat. There's a lot of "he said" and "she said"s too, and i'm not sure if that's the writing, or if some narrators can leave a little of that out when they alter their voice for the characters... Not sure, maybe it's just more noticable here, but i didn't care for that. Would i recommend it? Depends. Certainly it's short enough to try out and see if you like... And if you do, there's plenty more.

Not for me

This book is just not for me. It's possible that if there were a different narrator, I might have enjoyed this book more. If this would be your first time reading this author, judge for yourself.

dependable Spenser and Robert Parker

typical but as enjoyable as always for the witty dialogue and enhancement of personalities.

I said…Susan said..she said 🤯

The one thing that drives me crazy about people reading books is them saying, so and so said, I said. Just over and over like back-and-forth back-and-forth back-and-forth it’s freaking so redundant and so ridiculous and so unnecessary.