Ray Daniel

I truly enjoyed all three prior Tuckers, not in the least because of his powers of observation of Boston and its neighborhoods, police, FBI, IT creeps, and lawyers. Daniel's character is a fair substitute for Robert B. Parker's Spenser, but without the strong supporting cast. He does have an Israeli ex- Mossad agent, Jael, on his side, as his Hawk. And the Susans change from book to book. And instead of Pearl the Wonder Dog, there are his pet hermit crabs, Click and Clack. And. And. And. show more This one started slowly for me - it's a followup from the family crisis of Child Not Found, this time with his 10 year old niece being hacked on Facebook. Many, many complications ensue, but Tucker's vinegar tongue is in fine form lambasting hipsters and 4chan geeks. Some lulz and some extreme violence, with a very satisfying ending. show less

Tucker's about as close to Spenser as we're going to get since Robert B. Parker's death. He is an IT guy, a de-bugger by trade, and in this, his third outing, we learn of his connection to the Boston mob in the form of his cousin Sal. There's very little use for hacking skills here - Tucker ends up playing detective while trying to shake off Boston cops and FBI as he searches in a panic for his young cousin Maria, snatched off her sled on Boston Common by one of her father Sal's henchmen. show more Every Boston location is lovingly rendered, just as in the Spenser series, and there are romantic interests for the widower whose pet hermit crabs are named Click and Clack. Most enjoyable and twisty. show less

Here is the first of a new series set in Boston which might eventually be a newer type of Spenser For Hire. Tucker is a software programmer, a debugging geek genius who has a good sense of humor and a miserable prior six months, with his finding his wife murdered in their kitchen and getting fired from his job, all on the same day. Six months later, Tucker has moved from the 'burbs into Boston proper and, although haunted by the corporal image of his wife Carol, he is making moves towards show more beginning life anew. When another employee is murdered at his old company, Tucker is rehired by his old mentor and boss, and then the bullets really start flying.

There are some plot holes here (why aren't the Staties or any local police department investigating all these killings?), and the haunting of Tucker by his late wife seems all too cheap and easy as a plot device. However, the pacing is good, there are just the right amount of characters and suspense, and the outcome makes sense. I think the world of start-ups, especially in Boston, is underutilized in mysteries, and there's plenty of skullduggery in Fort Point and "The Innovation District" to make for some fine upcoming Tucker mysteries for those who are still missing Robert B. Parker and are forever bereft without him. show less

This second in the series has an even better plot than the first in the Tucker mysteries, "Terminal". It involves industrial espionage at a Raytheon-like company and Tucker's father, mother, and her rediscovered large Italian family in the North End of Boston.

However, in the first book, there was a girlfriend and a best friend FBI agent who was murdered, along with Tucker's wife. In this sequel, there is a different girlfriend and a different FBI agent. No mention of the first ones! I don't show more know why this is treated as a standalone - it makes no sense. This is the only flaw I find - the plot is well paced and there's plenty of humor. It's a mystery! show less