Hugger Mugger

By: Robert B. Parker

Narrated by: Joe Mantegna

Spenser is back and embroiled in a dangerous and multi-layered case. Someone has been killing racehorses at stables across the south, and Walter Clive, president of Three Fillies Stables, hires him to find out who. Spenser goes to Georgia to protect Hugger Mugger, a two-year-old destined to become the next Secretariat. Disregarding the resentment of the local Georgia law enforcement, he takes the case. Despite the veneer of civility, Spenser encounters tensions beneath the surface old boy bonhomie. The case takes an even more deadly turn when the attacker claims a human victim, and Spenser must revise his impressions of the Three Fillies organization - and watch his own back as well.

"One of the great series in the history of the American detective story." (New York Times Book Review)

©2000 Robert B. Parker (P)2000 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Brisk..crackling...Hugger Mugger finishes strong, just like a thoroughbred should." (Entertainment Weekly)

"A winner.... The famous dialogue is polished to a high shine.... Terrific." (Kirkus Reviews)

Very enjoyable story.

The narrator did a great job! A very enjoyable story that helped eat up the miles while driving. I will listen to more of the Spencer series.

What a relief

I was trying (unsuccessfully) to listen to the whole series after having read them out of order for the last 30 years, but David Dukes was too much for me to handle. Joe did a great job and I’m interested to hear how he does Hawk.

Spenser sees the South.

Robert B. Parker is a master at what he does (or did), and Joe Mantegna is likewise a master of what he still does, thank goodness. This book takes Spenser to Lamar, Georgia, where he gets immersed in a murder whodunit and also gets a large dose of Southern Hospitality, something of an oxymoron. The plot moves along nicely, and once again Parker throws red herring after red herring. You just cannot guess the ending, and I won't divulge it. The story revolves around a horse breeding and racing operation, three sisters who have vastly different life stories, despite having one horrendous trauma in common, again a thing which I will let Joe Mantegna tell you. Mantegna is truly a gifted actor, and a marvelous audiobook narrator. The change of climate from Spenser's hometown, Boston, is a welcome diversion from the usual Parker yarn. He gets to pine away for Susan Silverman, which adds some poignance to the story. Readers of Parker will recognize that this is not his absolutely finest material, but better-than-average Parker is a bar which many other whodunit authors would kill to reach.

hugger m u nnger

great story. I always love listening to Joe montego a narrate the stoies. his presentation fits the humor of the authors intent

ending was a little vague on the actual reveal

very uninformed ending for the reader.
didn't necessarily explain who dun it.
left me a little bit confused about the actual killer, and plot to kill

questionable at first

I thought I was going to dislike the audio at first. The use of "I said","he said","she said" was off the scale! But I actually got used to it very quickly and totally enjoyed the book. I will read another by this author and reader-I think I'm hooked!

Really good listen

I'd previously listened to Robert Parker's "Potshot" and enjoyed it. This book has the same mix of old style private eye, tough guy, glamorous and intelligent girlfriend, sexual references etc and it all works - and works well. The narration is first class and fits the character of the book; the plot gets you in and is well developed. I really enjoyed this listen and recommend it to others who want a light and stimulating thriller / detective story.

Joe Montana is Spencer.

I love Joe Montana reading Spencer. In my mind he is Spencer. I can't make myself listen to Spenser books read by anyone else, even the magnificent Burt Reynolds.

A Long Strange Trip

A kind of a weird story that makes the residents of the lower Carolina (South) look like the sickest/ craziest people in the universe. The main characters highlited in this audiobook is the Clive family that includes a father who's living in the19th century. He has three daughters; the oldest is married to a gay man who it seems enjoys sex with teenage boys; it was a bit disturbing that this was treated as more of a sexual quirk than as the crime it is. His wife thus being sexually frustrated works as a part time prostitute giving head to truckers at local rest areas and truck stops. The second daughter is married to an ex-football player who has become a drunk, thus she sleeps with just about every man who lives in, or passes through the area. The youngest of the three daughters is outwardly responsible, but as we later discover a totally weird control freak who tries some interesting methods of rehabilitating her irresponsible sisters. This is also the book where the character of Teddy Sapp; the bouncer at the local gay bar is introduced. Despite these disturbing characteristics it's one one of the better Spenser novels of the 90's. This particular installment of the original Parker series eschews much of the regular touchstones and very little of the scenes are set in his hometown of Boston. Also Hawk is pretty much non-existent as are Quirk and Belson; still it's an interesting divergence fro the norm and definitely worth taking a shot on.

Even Better than the Book!

I have always loved Parker's Spenser books, for the fast moving story, fun characters, and snappy dialogue. A new Spenser book is like catching up with old friends! Mantegna is so wonderful at the narration that I no longer want to read them. I'd rather listen! His nuanced performance and perfect timing increases my enjoyment to the point that I simply can't match it in my head. If you like the genre you simply can't go wrong with a Master like Parker.