May God Rest Your Soul Mr. Parker

I feel like one of my family has died. A great American pulp writer, Robert B Parker died today of an apparent heart attack. His wife found him slumped over his writing desk. Mr. Parker wrote over 60 novels in his lifetime. He was 77. He was best known for his Spenser series. Spenser, the single named private detective who was hard boiled and tough with a very soft center. A hero that would not turn away from any innocent in trouble no matter the cost. There were many things I loved about Spenser. His quick witted sense of humor that suffered no fools. His buddy relationship that bordered on brotherhood with Hawk, the black sometime hit man and bodyguard who was the only man as tough as Spenser and who always had his back. And I loved the relationship he had with his long time love Susan Silverman. Most hard boiled heroes get all the girls, bedding them left and right. Spenser was true blue. There is a possibility that the old Spenser TV series starring Robert Urich will be coming to TNT soon.

Mr. Parker also wrote the Sunny Randall series about a female Spenser. He wrote the Jesse Stone series that Tom Selleck stars in and has become a very successful series of made for TV movies. I understand a new one is on its way.

But, to my heart Mr. Parker is at the forefront of reviving the western. His Appaloosa trilogy- Appaloosa, Brimstone and Resolution, featuring Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch is just great. Ed Harris, along with Viggo Mortensen has brought this to the big screen. It's like Spenser and Hawk in the old west. Great stuff!

I've been a prolific reader and in younger days have read almost every major piece of literature available. When I turned to pulp fiction I found my refuge in the John D MacDonald series featuring Travis McGee. When Mr. MacDonald died I was lost until I found Mr. Parker. Now he is gone. No more Spenser or Hawk or Susan or Jesse or Virgil or Everett or Sunny. All gone. There is a hole left in me now.

I asked a friend of mine who traveled extensively and read prolifically to point me toward other series like Spenser. He came up with a few and I read them. They don't hold a candle.

Anyone have any suggestions?