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Night Passage (Jesse Stone Novels Book 1) by [Robert B. Parker]

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Robert B. Parker

Night Passage (Jesse Stone Novels Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Robert B. Parker (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Robert B. Parker introduces readers to police chief Jesse Stone in the first novel in the beloved mystery series—a New York Times bestseller.

After a busted marriage kicks his drinking problem into overdrive and the LAPD unceremoniously dumps him, thirty-five-year-old Jesse Stone’s future looks bleak. So he’s shocked when a small Massachusetts town called Paradise recruits him as police chief. He can’t help wondering if this job is a genuine chance to start over, the kind of offer he can’t refuse.

Once on board, Jesse doesn’t have to look for trouble in Paradise: it comes to him. For what is on the surface a quiet New England community quickly proves to be a crucible of political and moral corruption—replete with triple homicide, tight Boston mob ties, flamboyantly errant spouses, maddened militiamen and a psychopath-about-town who has fixed his violent sights on the new lawman. Against all this, Jesse stands utterly alone, with no one to trust—even he and the woman he’s seeing are like ships passing in the night. He finds he must test his mettle and powers of command to emerge a local hero—or the deadest of dupes.

Print length

340 pages
Language

English
Publisher

G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication date

July 1, 2001
Reading age

18 years and up
File size

1316 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Night Passage

“Parker’s sentences flow with as much wit, grace and assurance as ever, and Stone is a complex and consistently interesting new protagonist.”—Newsday

“Parker has always been a master of razor-sharp and witty dialogue, hard-driving suspense and memorable characterization. His Jesse Stone series promises to match if not excel the Spenser novels. Night Passage is a stunning debut.”—Houston Chronicle

“Vintage Parker.”—The Denver Post

“A page-turner...the protagonist is a believable, full-blooded man of Hemingwayesque dimensions. Full of action, spiced with fast-moving introspection.”—Forbes

“A winner.”—The Boston Globe

“You can always rely on Parker for some great talk and great scenes.”—Kirkus Reviews

More Praise for Robert B. Parker

“If weight is to be given to prolific output as well as to literary excellence, it would be no stretch to claim that America’s greatest mystery writer is Robert B. Parker.”—The New York Sun

About the Author

Robert B. Parker was the author of more than fifty books. He died in January 2010.

From the Inside Flap

f two dozen Spenser novels as well as numerous other works of fiction, Robert B. Parker is no stranger to either critical or popular acclaim. With his hallmark sharp wit and taut action, Parker has created in the Spenser series the standard against which all contemporary detective novels are measured, and a character considered the paragon of private eyes. In Night Passage, Parker sets the bar even higher, with the introduction of Jesse Stone, a hero cut from different cloth.

After a busted marriage kicks his drinking problem into overdrive and the LAPD unceremoniously dumps him, the thirty-five-year-old Stone's future looks bleak. So he's shocked when a small Massachusetts town called Paradise recruits him as police chief. He can't help wondering if this job is a genuine chance to start over, the kind of offer he can't refuse.

Once on board, Jesse doesn't have to look for trouble in Paradise: it comes to him. For what is on the surface a quiet New England commun --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Amazon.com Review

Fans often feel uneasy when the creator of a popular character ventures into new turf, and sometimes their trepidation is justified. But readers of Robert B. Parker's immensely popular Spenser series can breathe a sigh of relief: while Night Passage doesn't feature Spenser, his usual gang of associates, or a Boston setting, it's vintage Parker--fast, witty, suspenseful, and engaging. Told in short, crisp chapters, it's the story of Jesse Stone, a 34-year-old ex-cop who just lost his L.A. policeman's job and his marriage due to a drinking problem. The book opens as Stone leaves California for his new job as chief of police in the picturesque town of Paradise, Massachusetts.

But Paradise isn't as placid as it seems--in fact, it's a festering mass of petty corruption, right-wing militia, sexual scandal, and bad guys who favor strong-arm tactics. Night Passage boasts a delicious, classic setup: the lone lawman, new in town, must make his stand to clean the place up. Stone has been picked for the job because the town fathers figured he'd be weak and malleable; as he gradually pulls himself together, it turns out they have a surprise in store. Stone's qualities may remind you of Spenser's--he's taciturn, fearless, good-looking, and compassionate--and in the end the plot's pleasing complexities get resolved a bit simply. But Robert B. Parker is in fine form in Night Passage, with his smart-aleck wit under control and his prose at its economical best. Spenser fans and Parker neophytes alike will find plenty to enjoy here. And the setting is, after all, not far from Boston--dare we hope for a Spenser-Stone meeting in future books? --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From AudioFile

In NIGHT PASSAGE, the corrupt city fathers of a Massachusetts town hire Jesse Stone as police chief because his bad record as an L.A. cop suggests that he will discharge his duties in the ineffectual way they need to continue their nefarious deeds. Jesse has far more character and capability than they give him credit for. The second volume continues Jesse's well-plotted adventures among the vividly drawn characters. Richard Masur gives an Apollonian reading of the narrative and nice impersonations of the characters. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Booklist

Jesse Stone's career as an LAPD homicide detective is over, as is his marriage, thanks largely to booze. The good news is that Paradise, Massachusetts, needs a police chief. What Stone doesn't know is that city father Hasty Hathaway and acting chief Lou Burke are looking for a pushover to put in charge, and they figure a lush might do nicely. They pick the wrong lush. Stone drinks too much, but he doesn't push easily. Soon he has tangled with Paradise's leading thug, Jo Jo Genest, and is becoming curious about the local militia outfit, to which most of the town's leading citizens belong. The new chief's suspicions about the town intensify when he learns that his predecessor has been murdered in remote Wyoming. As Stone's first major case plays out, he balances still-considerable feelings for his ex-wife against the nascent affair he's having with a local lawyer. The new series by the creator of the hugely successful Spenser books has a great deal going for it: an empathetic, painfully flawed protagonist; an atmospheric small-town setting rife with corruption; and a whole new set of fascinating secondary characters. Parker is a true craftsman, and he's also extremely versatile, as he's proved in the past with his mainstream fiction and with his little-known classic, Wilderness (1979), and as he now proves again with this fine new series. Wes Lukowsky --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Kirkus Reviews

After 24 Spenser titles (Small Vices, p. 90, etc.), Parker branches out with this tale of Jesse Stone, who's eased out of LAPD Homicide by his divorce-driven drinking, then hired by the sharp town fathers of Paradise, Mass., to replace Chief Tom Carson, who found out a little too much about Paradise. And there's lots to find out, because Board of Selectmen chair Hasty Hathaway--whose credentials also include heading Freedom's Horsemen, the local Aryan supremacist militia--is in bed with organized crime guys from Boston. Hasty's also in bed with Tammy Portugal (though you can hardly blame him: Mrs. Hasty is getting nasty with everybody in town but him); and when Tammy threatens to go public with their affair unless Hasty makes an honest woman of her, the stage is set for a no-holds-barred confrontation between Hasty, his crime connections (especially his fix-it man, body-builder Jo Jo Genest), his crooked cops, and Freedom's Horsemen (on one side) and taciturn loner Jesse (on the other). Longtime Spenser fans, who have been enjoying the clipped phone dialogue between Jesse and his ex, will be smacking their lips. But then, suddenly, everything's too easy. Jesse gets his drinking under control and makes key friends in Paradise. His force closes ranks behind him. The big-time mobsters get busy fighting among themselves. Jo Jo crumbles. Freedom's Horsemen implode. Don't even ask about Hasty. You can always rely on Parker for some great talk and great scenes. But you'll have to wait for later entries in this new series for a great story. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Library Journal

The creator of the famed Spenser novels introduces a new detective series.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005F4CCYS
Publisher ‏ : ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons (July 1, 2001)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 1, 2001
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1316 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 340 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #20,286 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #844 in Police Procedurals (Kindle Store)
- #968 in Police Procedurals (Books)
- #1,096 in Crime Thrillers (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
1,853 ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

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Allen S

Great book, great value.

Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2017

Verified Purchase

I loved the Tom Sellick made for TV movies in the CBS series.
But there were only 8, so I craved more. I knew they were based on the books so I thought I'd see how it matched up.
Different. I could see parts of three movies in one book. Some of the characters were different.
Still a great read.
BTW, I bought the book used through Amazon's vendors and couldn't be happier. The hardcover was better then I expected. Like new, no pages bent, no cover tears. Price was right.

32 people found this helpful

Helpful

Warren A. LewisTop Contributor: Historical Fiction Books

Paradise, Mass Gets a Real Police Chief

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2018

Verified Purchase

The Jesse Stone series gets its start as the Paradise, Mass Police Chief gets fired for not buckling under the head selectman's directions, creating the opening for recently fired LA police detective Jesse Stone to be hired in his place. Since Stone has a drinking problem, the selectman, Hasty, thinks that Stone will be easy to provide a figurehead cop and little else. Jesse discovers the good old boy society here is alive and well and criminal. As the dead bodies in this town begin to pile up, Jesse does not have any idea who he can trust. He left an atmosphere of distrust where his ex-wife was cheating on him, and even the closest people he will now work with are suspect. A great start to this series.

10 people found this helpful

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ms.ccw

Would have been a better book without the foul language

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2017

Verified Purchase

I like the Jesse Stone movie series, so I purchased the first two books (this one and Trouble in Paradise) to see if I liked them as much as the movies themselves. I just finished this one, and now I have moved on to Trouble in Paradise. My biggest criticism is that the story could have been written without the excessive use of four letter curse words. Mr. Parker's writing style (going back and forth between characters) was a little confusing initially also, but I got used to it the more I read. I never could get used to all of the foul language in this book.

22 people found this helpful

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Stephen Snead

Never drags.

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2020

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This is a good fast read. The author puts several plates in the air at once but doesn't drop one. In the hands of a lesser writer this could have become bloated and full of angst. But, Parker keeps the action fast and fresh. From L.A. to New England and even Wyoming. From relationships and old memories and not once did it bog down or lose momentum. This is my first read of a Jesse Stone novel but it won't be my last. I'm also going to check out the old Tom Selleck movies and see how they stack up. All in all this is a really good start. I know it's an old series but it's new to me. If you haven't tried it you're in for a treat.

3 people found this helpful

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Gigi

Spenser to Stone, will I be able to adjust to a new relationship? Time will tell.

Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2016

Verified Purchase

I've read all of the Spenser series and loved the characters, humor, and story development, I hated to see a good series end. So, I'm hoping for the same humor Spenser had and all the comradery between the other characters in the new Jesse Stone books. It's like starting a new friendship. So far, he's a good guy, love life problems, maybe a little to much drinking, storyline is good. I"m still getting use to all the new characters and their quirks. I look forward to picking up the book to see what happens next. BUT, I'm still waiting for the humor, it separates the good thrillers from the very enjoyable ones.

15 people found this helpful

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Dennis M.

Likeable Character; Solid Story

Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2020

Verified Purchase

I really like the main character and look forward to reading more stories involving him. He is a real person but not excessively burdened with life's baggage. Too many lead characters in police procedure books have way too much baggage - broken marriages, broken friendships, hated by superiors, etc. The story is based in a small town and comes off like a real story that you could find a normal town in the U.S. No, the world isn't about to be destroyed; no, the entire government isn't plotting against anybody. Just a normal cop doing his job solving a normal criminal operation. I Like It!

2 people found this helpful

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JM Harvey

A good start

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2018

Verified Purchase

Though I have read all of Robert Parker’s Spenser novels, this was my first Jesse Stone. Jesse is nothing like Spenser but the tone of the books are very similar. This book also borrows Gino Fish and captain Healey of the Massachusetts state police. Though the plot was a little awkward, and the mystery maybe a tad silly, these are character driven novels and I really like the character. Like the Spenser novels I could do without the love interest (ex-wife).But we get the Massachusetts backdrop which was entertaining and we get the usual cast of bugs and miscreants. All in all a very good read and I look forward to the next one.

4 people found this helpful

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Jeffrey Cooke

Stone in Print Aces the Videos

Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2017

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I was hoping the book(s) would be as good as the video series. I was very pleasantly surprised to find out the books, at least the first two, are much better. Parker has a narrative tone similar to Elmore Leonard...almost detached in his observations, which opens up so much to infer. Parker's Jesse Stone is a wildly competent, somewhat conflicted boy scout of a cop who always speaks his feelings...when he chooses to speak. I can hardly wait for the next few months of catching up

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

P R J Matthews

excellent read hard to put down

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2018

Verified Purchase

My wife and I have recently watched the series on TV featuring Tom Selleck as Jessie Stone so I got this first novel to see if we got more background to the reason behind his move from West to East coast USA. I wasn't disappointed it was a great read and apart from a couple of differences from the film I recon that Mr Selleck played Jessie to a T. Will get the next story in order when I have caught up with reading all my recent purchases.
P R Matthews

6 people found this helpful

Crystal

Jesse Stone

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2021

Verified Purchase

I actually enjoyed this book. Fast pace, easy to read, strong characters and suspenseful. I was not sure what to expect because I don't usually read this genre. There was violence, crime, sex and swearing. There was tension as bad guys did more and more, assuming that the new police chief was their puppet.
I don't think that this is really a woman's novel but it was a good read. I expect that readership is mostly male. If you like a police story with great characters and creepy bad guys, then this is great for you.

One person found this helpful

Jl Adcock

Excellent opener to the Jesse Stone series

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 19, 2017

Verified Purchase

Washed-up LA cop Jesse Stone turns his back on his failed marriage and heads east to Paradise in the opening novel of Parker's Jesse Stone series. What could have been a story full of cliches featuring an alcoholic cop on the skids is honed into something rather excellent. Parker makes the craft of writing look ridiculously easy; the spare prose and witty, believable dialogue moves the story along at a cracking pace. There is also a sense of stillness and space amongst the action. The plot is almost Western-like, with Stone riding into town and uncovering dark deeds in small town America that leads to murder and deceit on a grand scale. With a pitch perfect finale, Parker leaves the reader wanting more. Impressive stuff from a master of the genre.

6 people found this helpful

L F.

I prefer the film.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2019

Verified Purchase

I bought the book as I'd really enjoyed the film featuring Tom Selleck, and wanted to compare the two.
I'm afraid that imho the film wins hands down.
I only finished reading it because I was comparing it with the film, to see how faithful that was to the original - I probably wouldn't have finished it, if it had been a stand alone purchase. Which tells you how good the writing seemed to me.
In the film, Selleck is physically much bigger and older than the book character and his portrayal is much better for it - he brings gravitas and experience absent in the book. Thankfully, the mob hitman Jo Jo Genest becomes Jo Genest in the film, and although a musclebound thug in the book his film portrayal as a psycopath of normal size by Stephen Baldwin is far more nuanced and interesting. I wondered why the Irishwoman Molly Crane in the book, was portrayed as a black woman in the film - this was a change I didn't think was for the better.

Cliff

Well worth the read!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2021

Verified Purchase

Excellent story line, with much dry humour and surprising Old West feel to the ending.

I first saw the Jesse Stone series on T.V. and was captured by Tom Selleck's performance as Jesse Stone although he isn't exactly the right age!

The book has a better, more involved plot line than the DVD - which remains excellent, just slightly different.

Will definitely buy the remainder of the books in the series - and also the DVDs.

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