Split Image

By: Robert B. Parker

Narrated by: James Naughton

The body in the trunk was just the beginning.

Turns out the stiff was a foot soldier for local tough guy Reggie Galen, now enjoying a comfortable "retirement" with his beautiful wife, Rebecca, in the nicest part of Paradise. Living next door are Knocko Moynihan and his wife, Robbie, who also happens to be Rebecca's twin. But what initially appears to be a low-level mob hit takes on new meaning when a high-ranking crime figure is found dead on Paradise Beach.

Stressed by the case, his failed relationship with his ex-wife, and his ongoing battle with the bottle, Jesse needs something to keep him from spinning out of control. When private investigator Sunny Randall comes into town on a case, she asks for Jesse's help. As their professional and personal relationships become intertwined, both Jesse and Sunny realize that they have much in common with both their victims and their suspects - and with each other.

©2010 Robert B. Parker (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

“Parker's stories are told in lean, lively, fast-moving and insistent prose. Anyone who can read a Parker novel without laughing is a hard case indeed. Along with the action and the humor, Parker parses such matters as autonomy, personal responsibility, courage, fidelity, the meaning of work in our lives and what it means to be a man or a woman in our post-everything society. His novels are smart as well as fun, and the Parker worldview is worth the price of admission.” (The Washington Times)

“Love runs rampant in this story - young love, parental love, marital love, friendly love, lovey-dovey love, even noxious perversions of love that are downright criminal. Hotbed of passion that it’s turned out to be, Paradise seems a very good place to take our leave of Jesse.” (The New York Times)

Split Image

This is my second book in Parker's Jesse Stone series. The reader was good and the past was fast with the usual tongue in cheek banter that is typical of a Parker book. I still have trouble with his "He said--She said". It get annoying, but the story is so good I over look it.

Superb performance of an intense story

If you could sum up Split Image in three words, what would they be?

Mirroring past kills

What was one of the most memorable moments of Split Image?

Recognition of his own image being split - from reality: Written in the "palimpsest". Good writers know how to do it and Parker knocked me hard with this.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Dialogues with this psychologist

Jesse, we'll miss you.

Formula? Sure. But Parker was a master at the well woven plot and the crisp dialogue that set his stories on a higher plane. Steeped in plausibility and street savvy, these small novels are the bar by which all others in the genre are measured.
Spenser, Hawk, Jesse, see ya!

Good book

Parkers dialog style is a bit tedious in audio. The "he saids and she saids" detract greatly from a good story. When reading, of course, ones eyes learn to sort of filter that out. No such luck with audio, even with a very good narrator such as this one.

Mourning

I gave the third star for memory. As I listened, I saw in my mind's eye all of the Parker characters that seemed so real. Split Image was like all of the Parker novels; crime never went unpunished and romance had rules. Read this book for nostalgia, knowing we will never again be charmed by Jessie and Spenser, Hawk, Susan, Healy, Rita, Sunny, even old Suitcase Simpson. I wanted to read for enough years to see Molly the new Chief and Suit, Chief Detective. Farewell Robert Parker, you were one of the best.

Loved this one!

Everything you want and expect from Jesse Stone and Parker...narrator is a good one, story original. Highly recommended for any Robert B Parker fan.

Not his best, but worth a listen

It makes me sad to write this, because I can't believe he's gone. Split Image is a double-header featuring both Jesse and Sunny. I'm not crazy about Sunny Randall, but she's less annoying in this book.Moves at a brisk pace, and always holds your interest.

Not up to standards...

Slow and mostly boring. A disappointment for Jesse Stone fans like myself. I'll keep reading though.

Held my interest beginning to end

was an interesting read. Beginning to the end. Been caught up in the Jesse and Sunny relationship drama. Really enjoy the books of this series

Another Homerun

I finished this one way to fast. I tried to pace myself but I wanted to know what happened next!