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Kemper's Reviews > The Jugger
The Jugger (Parker, #6)
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When Parker gets a couple of letters from retired safe cracker Joe Sheer saying that he’s having problems, he’s worried that the old man is getting pressured into revealing secrets. Since some of those secrets would be about him, Parker packs a bag and is off to Nebraska thinking that he may have to permanently shut Joe up.
After he arrives in the small town that Joe had settled in, Parker learns that Joe is already dead, supposedly from a heart attack. But the police chief is instantly on Parker’s tail, and another thief is in town and won’t leave Parker alone. Everybody seems to be looking for something that Joe hid and assumes that Parker is there for the same thing.
This was a change-up from the pattern of the Parker stories to date since there was no robbery or real revenge motive going on. Parker just blundered into a situation, and is trying to get out without blowing his best fake identity. This isn’t about getting away with the loot, it’s about getting away without a warrant being issued against his phony name.
This also really took Parker’s ruthless nature up a notch. We know from the previous books that Joe Sheer was one of the few people that Parker would even remotely consider a friend, but he doesn’t have a moment’s regret about potentially having to kill him. Plus, Parker will stop at nothing to pin the crimes involved on other people to preserve his cover ID.
The ending also has the usual habit of having some element carry over from one Parker book to the next.
After he arrives in the small town that Joe had settled in, Parker learns that Joe is already dead, supposedly from a heart attack. But the police chief is instantly on Parker’s tail, and another thief is in town and won’t leave Parker alone. Everybody seems to be looking for something that Joe hid and assumes that Parker is there for the same thing.
This was a change-up from the pattern of the Parker stories to date since there was no robbery or real revenge motive going on. Parker just blundered into a situation, and is trying to get out without blowing his best fake identity. This isn’t about getting away with the loot, it’s about getting away without a warrant being issued against his phony name.
This also really took Parker’s ruthless nature up a notch. We know from the previous books that Joe Sheer was one of the few people that Parker would even remotely consider a friend, but he doesn’t have a moment’s regret about potentially having to kill him. Plus, Parker will stop at nothing to pin the crimes involved on other people to preserve his cover ID.
The ending also has the usual habit of having some element carry over from one Parker book to the next.
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Reading Progress
September 19, 2010
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Started Reading
September 19, 2010
– Shelved
September 20, 2010
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Finished Reading
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Dan
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rated it 4 stars
Sep 21, 2010 11:07AM
See if you can ration these until Butcher's Moon comes out. Some of us wish we had...
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Dan wrote: "See if you can ration these until Butcher's Moon comes out. Some of us wish we had..."Rationing won't help me much here because I read several of the early Parker books years ago but not sure which ones so I never know if I'm going to end up remembering it when I start. Plus I've got Comeback, Backflash and Flashfire at home that I bought when they came out. I think I read, the next two, and I know I read the last three. So my unread Parker count is dwindling fast.
I dont bother with rationing i cant, i like Parker too much. Just because Dan said about rationing now i just got scared what i will read when i have read the 24 books.So Kemp you arent reading in order ?
About the Jugger its the best different from the formula Parker outside Slayground. I enjoyed immensly, how grim,mean Parker was about defending his alias.
Mohammed wrote: "I dont bother with rationing i cant, i like Parker too much. Just because Dan said about rationing now i just got scared what i will read when i have read the 24 books.So Kemp you arent reading i..."
I read the early ones I could get my hands on from the library about 15 years ago, but they didn't have all of them. Then Comeback came out with new ones shortly after it. I bought those and still have them. I'm not sure if I missed the next three or not, but I did read the last three as they were released. It's hard to remember what you've read in a series like this that I've read over the course of 15 years. I'm reading all of these re-issues in order now.
Yeah so much happen in Parker books its hard to keep track. I have read book 1-14 only since 2008 and its hard keeping track in my mind.The re-issues are great, i wish i had waited and instead the old damaged paperbacks i read before the re-issues.
Is this everything you have read of Stark writing ? No Grofield,361 etc ? They must be easy to find in the library the out of print books.
Mohammed wrote: "Yeah so much happen in Parker books its hard to keep track. I have read book 1-14 only since 2008 and its hard keeping track in my mind.The re-issues are great, i wish i had waited and instead t..."
I've read 361 and Lemons Never Lie (Grofield) from HCC. Once I get through the Parker's, I'm going to work on filling in the Westlake Dortmunder's I haven't read/own. I'm hoping the University of Chicago may go ahead and reprint the Grofield ones while I'm doing that.
They wont reprint Groield novels thats was announced by the editor of the reprintings in violentworldofparker. Grofield series are not close enough to be scholary interesting since its a University publisher.I was hoping for the same but it wont happen. The first Grofield book is connected with how the 8th Parker The Handle ends,it was very interesting reading them after another. I wont wait they are very cheap in abebooks.
"Lemons Never Lie" was the only Grofield novel that felt as if it remotely took place in the same world that Parker inhabits. "The Damsel" was a light-hearted adventure, "The Dame," was a whodunnit, and "The Blackbird" was a spy thriller.They're worth reading if you're a Stark compleatist, but you won't miss much if you don't read them.
Adam wrote: ""Lemons Never Lie" was the only Grofield novel that felt as if it remotely took place in the same world that Parker inhabits. "The Damsel" was a light-hearted adventure, "The Dame," was a whodunnit..."Thanks for the info. I'm sure my Westlake completist streak will kick in at some point, but I'll probably settle for keeping an eye out for them at the used bookstores.
It all depends on how you like Grofield i enjoyed him in the early books and in The Damsel was interesting enough to read from his POV.Sure im Stark/Westlake completist but i read Grofield series before other books because i like him. Sure its not hardcore as Parker but its fun. Would have been perfect if Grofield had his own heist series mmm :)
