Backflash

A Parker Novel

By: Richard Stark

Narrated by: Keith Szarabajka

After the publication of Butcher’s Moon in 1974, Donald Westlake said, “Richard Stark proved to me that he had a life of his own by simply disappearing. He was gone.” And listeners waited.

But nothing bad is truly gone forever, and Parker’s as bad as they come. According to Westlake, one day in 1997, “suddenly, he came back from the dead, with a chalky prison pallor” - and the novels that followed showed that neither Parker nor Stark had lost a step.

Backflash finds Parker checking out the scene on a Hudson River gambling boat. Parker’s no fan of either relaxation or risk, however, so you can be sure he’s playing with house money - and he’s willing to do anything to tilt the odds in his favor. Featuring a great cast of heisters, a striking setting, and a new introduction by Westlake’s close friend and writing partner, Lawrence Block, this classic Parker adventure deserves a place of honor in any crime fan’s library.

©1997 Richard Stark; Foreword Lawrence Block (P)2013 AudioGO

Characters loved it all

Loved it all . Another great Parker book. Don’t hesitate to listen. You won’t be sorry. Enjoy some .

Stark is a grnius.

Stark is a genius. Parker is a uniquely , practical bad guy. Parker's accomplices are so enjoyable. Dan is hilarious.

Gamble of a lifetime

Strong cast of characters, a nigh impossible robbery, and some surprise wrenches in the plans make this an enjoyable listen.

Enjoyable, but illogical premise [minor spoiler]

I'm a Parker fan, for the series being "pur et dur," as the French would say.

This is the 18th in the series I've listened to.

Although I enjoyed this book, I found a key part of the premise to be illogical. [spoiler follows]

To get access to the money room aboard the gambling boat, one of the members of the "string" impersonates an actual New York Assemblyman conducting an inspection tour. A reporter doing an undercover story knew the actual Assemblyman and realizes that the member of the Parker crew is a fake. He's about to inform the captain when a member of the crew puts him out of action, non-lethally.

But the boat is based in Albany, the capital of New York, where the Assembly is also based. The crowd aboard the boat was bound to include many people involved in various ways with New York government. Not only the reporter, but many others, were sure to know the Assemblyman, and to have realized that the Parker "Assemblyman" was a fake.

It was just way too shaky of a scheme, that stood a good chance of being exposed and failing.

Another Excellent Parker Story

One of the things I love about the Parker books is the question: who is the wild card? What will be the monkey wrench in the machinery? As there almost always is one.

These wild cards often help make the story so interesting because of the strange turns it takes. And quite often we are given hints about this early on, making the books as much mysteries as thrillers. And this one follows that trope.

Great cast of characters, including a few of the “usual suspects” who have been in other books.

And another outstanding reading.

Plus, another worthwhile forward by Westlake’s good friend and fellow crime and thriller writer, Larry Block.

Highly recommended

Nothing can kill this Parker guy!

Good narration, decent story formula, amazing Characters brought to life, Mr.Stark can write, I will give him that.

I go away, and I come back!

We join Parker getting out of the crashed getaway car. The driver, Marshal Howell was sandwiched between the seat, dash, and steering wheel; “like the jelly in a donut”. He was going nowhere. Parker grabbed the loot bag and considered Howell. Contrary to his first instinct, Parker walked away. A man named Caffman called Parker at Claire’s home on Coliver’s Pond, which he got from Howell’s wife. This was a serious problem in itself. One that may have to be dealt with later. Caffman is the inside man. The job, a gambling boat, The Spirit of the Hudson. The other two men on the string, Dan Visha, and Mike Carlow. So much for the setup of the story. There were a lot of problems to overcome with this job. After working out some details, Parker needed another man for the string; he called Lou Sternberg. One more addition, Nicole Brazile. Parker also picked up an old river rat named Greg Handon to run a boat for them. A few more details to go and they would be ready. Ray Becker may be the fly in the ointment. A definite sign of the times; two Colt .357 Magnums w/shoulder holsters for $300. LOL. It’s fascinating to listen to the plans Parker makes and how he implements them. This one regarding the riverboat was especially interesting due to the tight security involved. I found a comment made by Caffman to be interesting, “When people are comfortable and confident, gambling does not flourish.”

Parker rides agdin

I dig these Parker books so much. Heists fascinate me. Parker is the prototype anti hero. Ready to kill at a drop of the hat, but not vicaus. These books are a great one day listen also

This one was good.

It didn’t grab me like some of the others, but it was ok. I still want to read the whole series.

This is about a heist from a riverboat gambling casino. The plans are a little more intricate than normal, including getting a guy to pretend to be a politician with body guards. A woman pretends to be wheelchair bound. The main suspense is after the heist when other parties make a play for the money. The best part was when a bad cop put Parker in handcuffs. I enjoyed the way Parker got out of that one.

The narrator Keith Szarabajka is my favorite narrator for the Parker series. He does a great Parker voice - menacing.

THE SERIES:
This is book 18 in the 24 book series. These stories are about bad guys. They rob. They kill. They’re smart. Most don’t go to jail. Parker is the main bad guy, a brilliant strategist. He partners with different guys for different jobs in each book.

If you are new to the series, I suggest reading the first three and then choose among the rest. A few should be read in order since characters continue in a sequel fashion. Those are listed below (with my star ratings). The rest can be read as stand alones.

The first three books in order:
4 stars. The Hunter (Point Blank movie with Lee Marvin 1967) (Payback movie with Mel Gibson)
3 ½ stars. The Man with the Getaway Face (The Steel Hit)
4 stars. The Outfit.

Read these two in order:
5 stars. Slayground (Bk #14)
5 stars. Butcher’s Moon (Bk #16)

Read these four in order:
4 ½ stars. The Sour Lemon Score (Bk #12)
2 ½ stars. Firebreak (Bk #20)
(not read) Nobody Runs Forever (Bk #22)
2 ½ stars. Dirty Money (Bk #24)

Others that I gave 4 or more stars to:
The Jugger (Bk #6), The Seventh (Bk#7), The Handle (Bk #8), Deadly Edge (Bk#13), Flashfire (Bk#19)

GENRE: noir crime fiction