Robert B. Parker's Fool's Paradise

By: Mike Lupica

Narrated by: James Naughton

When an unknown man is found murdered in Paradise, Jesse Stone will have his hands full finding out who he was - and what he was seeking.

When a body is discovered at the lake in Paradise, Police Chief Jesse Stone is surprised to find he recognizes the murder victim - the man had been at the same AA meeting as Jesse the evening before. But otherwise, Jesse has no clue as to the man's identity. He isn't a local, nor does he have ID on him, nor does any neighboring state have a reported missing person matching his description. Their single lead is from a taxi company that recalls dropping off the mysterious stranger outside the gate at the mansion of one of the wealthiest families in town....

Meanwhile, after Jesse survives a hail of gunfire on his home, he wonders if it could be related to the murder. When both Molly Crane and Suitcase Simpson also become targets, it's clear someone has an ax to grind against the entire Paradise PD.

©2020 Mike Lupica (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"One of the best crime thrillers hitting stores this year...and quite possibly the best novel set in one of Parker’s universe since the iconic author passed away." (The Real Book Spy)

Good one

Enjoyed it and recommend. A great Jesse Stone story and I like he is sober throughout the whole story.

Thumbs up

Good story and good storytelling. Liked the short jokes thrown in from time to time.

Mike Lupica is no Robert Parker.

Mike Lupica writng a Robert Parker book is an interesting take. I feel like I was listening to soft porn. His need to describe every sex scene and everyone has a sexual being and everyone having sex together and making sure everybody had a label of either color, sex, creed, etc. Was a bit much. And I don’t remember any of the Robert Parker books or Jesse Stone movies with with the F word as a constant expression.

almost as good as Robert Parker

Robert Parker was one if my favorite authors. This comes as close to him as any I've read. Good story, good reader, lots of action.

Love Jesse Stone books

I thought the storyline was very intriguing and was connected throughout the story. I have listened to many of Robert B Parker‘s Jesse Stone stories. This one was definitely enjoyable.
My one critique is, I would lessen up the alcoholic issues during the book. For those of us that have listened to Robert B Parker‘s Jesse Stone. We are well aware of the alcoholic issues.
We would like more to hear about character definition and storyline, than the discussion of going to rehab. 
Looking forward to the next one.

Great story with Jesse Stone

Amazing it is to see how any of the Jesse Stone stories can be enjoyed by themselves. The mark of brilliant writing!

Not the same. Very bad language.

The f' word was used way too much. the personalities didn't seem the same. I'm hoping the next books will get better (I have to listen to them because I already bought them).

Robin's. Reviews

Enjoyed the book, however, I would have enjoyed a little more physical confrontations with Jesse.
I liked the way Robert Parker would incorporate that in his stories.

Awesome book

like all the other books in the series good all the way to the end

Well, the narrator was great.

The story isn’t bad but it’s not really Jessie. Nor Molly. The story started out ok then veered into a lesser imitation. Too much irrelevant slap & tickle, too much gratuitous F-word & “God damn this, God damn that,” too much schtick, the political correctness nods, Molly was a classier lady than Lupica is portraying her, it felt like a stretch. Now that Jessie is trying not to die from liver damage Lupica’s Jessie is more likely to get an STD. And a sexual harassment complaint.