Jesse Stone is familiar to most people from the TV movies starring Tom Selleck. But mystery lovers know that before Sellick, Jesse Stone lived in the pages of Robert B Parker's books. I've read most of the Jesse Stone books. Of course, those written prior to his death in 2010 remain fan favorites but Mike Lupica does an excellent job of keeping true to the world of Paradise and it's many quirky inhabitants. Mr Lupica deserves 5 stars for being brave enough to follow in Parker's footsteps.
When a fellow AA member is found murdered in Paradise, Jesse feels a personal connection to the victim as well as a challenge that this crime was committed in his town. Then Jesse, Molly and Suit are all targets of an attack.
Jesse's deliberate manner is still there as well as his dedication to maintaining the law in Paradise. Crime does not pay in Paradise.
I'm very glad that the Jesse Stone books I've loved for so many years will keep coming. As long as Mike Lupica keeps writing them, I'll keep reading them.

I'm a big fan of Robert B. Parker. This author, Mike Lupica, has kept RBP's characters going. Chief Jesse Stone is sober. Now, Jesse and his Paradise police crew are solving the murder of a man that Jesse met at an AA meeting. Of course, the story is not that simple! An attempted rape, missed sniper fire, a bomb, and more. This is a fast read, great witty banter, intertwined story lines but mild suspense. I felt I was there in the scenes right to the end.

Like curling up with a familiar and very good friend, it was incredibly easy to lose myself in a new Jesse Stone novel. I will admit it is weird and wonderful all at the same time.

If you like the Jesse Stone books of the past, then there are parts of this one that you might love and parts you might not. It is not easy when a beloved writer passes and it is always tricky if the works continue past them. Jesse Stone has been written by four different people now. Officially more NOT by the author than he actually wrote, I believe. This latest is a new player in the game and he made some interesting choices.

The story itself was good. The plot was engaging if not a little familiar. Jesse investigates a murder that is more than it seems. Someone he recognizes. The character has obviously made some changes to his life. And maybe it was those changes that made the character, and others in the story, feel off. The voice and the personality just didn't seem quite right. Sure, the language was abruptly different, but it was more than that. Yes, different authors have written these, but these are the same characters. People and characters change. It seems like it should have been more gradual.

That aside, it was a fun and pretty quick read. Having a character that has been around 20 years get a little bit of a reboot might not be a bad thing. I think I want to see what he does next before I decide.

When a body is found at the lake in Paradise, Chief of Police Jesse Stone is surprised to recognize the victim. Jesse doesn’t know his name, where he comes from, why he is in town, but the evening before both sat in the same AA meeting. Without an ID or a missing person’s report matching the victim, Jesse’s only lead comes in the form of a taxi driver who recalls dropping off the stranger outside the mansion of one of Paradise’s wealthiest families.

After Jesse escapes a meteor shower of bullets sprayed into his home, he wonders if it could be related to the case. But when someone also targets Molly Crane and Suitcase Simpson, it becomes evident that someone is out for Paradise PD blood.

I am a fan of Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone series. I have read the books multiple times and watched the films based on them even more. However, I had never read any of the installments that came after the author’s passing, until now. Mostly because I feared they wouldn’t live up to the original. The experience has left me feeling somewhat indifferent.

Penned by Mike Lupica, Fool’s Paradise delivers that slow-burn mystery Parker fans expect; however, it never quite managed to grasp that Jesse Stone feel. At all times, it felt like I read someone else’s take on the series and characters. Granted that’s essentially what this is, and I can only imagine how difficult it must be for a writer to step into another author’s shoes. Still, I’d hoped to have moments where I forgot that fact.

Since Lupica isn’t the only writer to continue Parker’s legacy, I will give some other books a chance to see if this was a one off or all of them missed the Jesse Stone vibe. Even if they all fall short, I might continue reading them simply going in with lower expectations.

The mystery itself was okay, nothing surprising but entertaining. It also brought back a lot of the original characters. Consequently, readers who know Parker’s stories will probably connect with this one more than those coming into it for the first time.

Though some expletives are expected from this series, I could have done with a lot less. Readers should be aware of potential triggers, namely in regard to attempted rape and the talk about it.

On page one, the author included a paragraph telling about how diverse Paradise had become in the past twenty years. It felt tacked on and out of place, as though added as a marketing ploy for the current environment. I don’t want to be told something is a certain way, I want to see it. After that paragraph, the story continued on as any other Jesse Stone novel.

Thanks to Netgalley, for a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

Another new author for the Jesse Stone books. In fact, I had trouble finding it on my shelves, because I kept looking for books by Reed Farrell Coleman! Mike Lupica wrote the last two Sunny Randall books, so I guess it's no surprise that she played a large part in this one.

The story itself is a typical one for any of the Robert B. Parker books - a somewhat convoluted mystery, not terribly surprising, but requiring tangling somewhat obscure connections. The result is not all that surprising (or, really, convincing), but these books are more designed for action and adventure than for convincing psychological or logical chains of events. Best to just sit back and enjoy them for what they are!

I had two main problems with this book. First, I think Mike Lupica has a real problem writing convincing strong female characters. That was highlighted in this book, since both Sunny and Molly were central characters. Second, WAY too much talking about Jesse and his (former?) alcoholism. I realize that his sobriety is important in his life, but I just didn't think that almost every page in the book had to have a reference to how much he'd like to have a drink. Enough, already!

Somewhere I feel that I read that publishers of the post Robert B. Parker Jesse Stone series was going to put it to rest. If so, perhaps this is the last book in the series, and frankly that is not a bad thing. Attempted rapes, and a murder of a man whom Jesse encounters at a 12 Step Meeting are what pull the reader into the story.

The series, though handled adeptly by author Mike Lupica seems both a little tired and too bound within its world. One of the mysteries involved brings back some previous suspects from an earlier novel in the series; add that in Jesse's teasing, his struggling or not with drink, I felt so confined like the author wanted to break out and take these characters somewhere else but in order to stay in the world created by Parker were forced to stay

When the novel takes off is when Sunny Randall (another Parker character/refugee, whose stories are excellently penned by Mr .Lupica) comes to Paradise to join in and help Jesse and test their romantic boundaries does the story begin to spark life. By the stories conclusion I felt that Paradise is lost forever, and the books have gone past their usefulness. I did not even enjoy the usual check in with familiar folks as I enjoyed in the past.

My hopes are that what I heard is correct, that this is the last. I say reading is for completists like me. Regardless of both, here is hoping that Jesse and maybe Sunny are released from what binds them to their getting tired worlds and venture out together to something better.

Robert B. Parker’s FOOL’S PARADISE: A Jesse Stone Novel
Mike Lupica
G. P. Putnam’s Son’s s
ISBN-13: 978-0525542087
Hardcover
Mystery/Thriller

The concept of assigning veteran author Mike Lupica to Robert B. Parker’s Jesse Stone series is a no-brainer. Lupica has done an excellent job of continuing Parker’s Sunny Randall series, and given that he has nudged Randall into Stone’s orbit (and vice versa) in his two books for the Randall canon it seems inevitable that they would gently collide under his guidance. We see the result of this --- and much more --- in FOOL’S PARADISE, Lupica’s inaugural Stone book, which features the troubled police chief of Paradise, Massachusetts confronted by two troubling mysteries.

FOOL’S PARADISE begins with a celebration of sorts as a historic theater in Paradise is reopened following its destruction and reconstruction. Stone’s participation in the festivities is short-lived, however, when he is called to the scene of a homicide at a lake on the edge of the city. The victim is a stranger to everyone except Stone, who recognizes him as a man with whom he had interacted briefly the night before at an AA meeting in a nearby town. Stone only knows the man’s first name, and given that his body has no source of identification the investigation begins at least a couple of steps behind the killer. Stone gets a break when he is able to at least trace where the victim came from --- Florida --- and that he had been to the home of a local, wealthy mover-and-shaker on the same evening that he died. Everyone there, however, denies that speaking to him or even knowing who he was. Someone appears to be lying, and there are several folks in that family who could be, and for various reasons. Meanwhile, Jesse narrowly escapes being shot by a sniper at his own home, a rapist attacks two women --- one of them being the assistant chief --- and another officer finds an unwelcome and potentially dangerous package on his front porch. Jesse brings Sunny into the mix as an investigator but the issue of whether they will combine business with pleasure during their off-hours soon comes to the fore. One could be forgiven for guessing correctly what the resolution of that matter will be, as well as ascertaining the motive behind the lakeside murder well before the conclusion of FOOL’S PARADISE. Watching Stone get there, however, is mightily entertaining, as is the wrapup of the attacks on Jesse and the police force, thanks to the twists and turns which Lupica inserts along the way.

Lupica’s style is perfect for the Stone series. It will be interesting to see whether he will continue to intersect the Stone and Randall series or if their trajectories will go in opposite directions for a bit. It should be noted that Lupica has obviously done yeoman’s research in what has gone before, which is no small task given that FOOL’S PARADISE is the nineteenth book in the Stone series. It will be interesting and no doubt exciting to see where Lupica in the future takes this venerable character from here. Recommended.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
© Copyright 2020, The Book Report, Inc. All rights reserved.

I have enjoyed several books in the Jesse Stone series by Mike Lupica. Though I am working on catching up on all the previous books in the series. I have to say, I was glad that Fool’s Paradise can certainly be read as a stand alone.
There are actually several murder investigations going on within this story. All of which are very intriguing and interesting in their own way.
As always, Jesse Stone comes through with his quirky ways while fighting his demon of alcohol.
I enjoy a well told police procedural which is exactly what Fool’s Paradise gave me.

A new Jesse Stone novel is normally a good thing, but I am ambivalent about this latest entry. A new author, Mike Lupica, has been selected to continue Parker's series about the Paradise Police Chief. However, I think previous authors writing in this series definitely captured Parker's style and tone much better. Lupica is noticeably different, and not in a good way. There is a lot of bad language in the dialogue which was quite jarring as I don't recall any of the characters, especially Jesse, speaking this way in past novels. Also, the story itself seemed flat and tended to meander and never really took off. And while Jesse has interacted with Sunny previously, her inclusion here seemed forced and their interactions did not seem natural or in keeping with previous novels. And the mention of Spenser just seemed to be name dropping, I has half expected to also encounter some mention of Cole or Hitch to ensure all of Parker's series were covered.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read and review this book.

Jesse Stone is back trying to solve another murder in Paradise. This time, it is a man he had met at an AA meeting, which gave Jesse even more incentive to find the killer. When the investigation is disrupted by attacks on him and two of his team members, they need to find out if these are separate investigations or if it is all related. When Jesse calls on his close friend, Sunny Randall, to assist, he gains an extra asset as well as a love interest.

I have enjoyed the Jesse Stone series, and this was another good story. I’m glad that Stone has stopped drinking, but his sober angst is overwhelming, at times.

Robert B Parker’s Jesse Stone is back in the latest book by Mike Lupica. This time a body of a murder victim has been discovered in a lake in Paradise. The chief of police, Jesse Stone, recognizes the man because they had attended the same AAA meeting just the night before. However, his identity is a mystery, there is no identification on the body, and no reports of a missing person that matches his description. The mystery deepens when it becomes apparent that someone holds a grudge against the Paradise police department and Jesse seems to be right in the middle.

Robert B Parker was a distinctive voice for the Jesse Stone mysteries. The characters were well-drawn, the plots were interesting, and the dialogue was always snappy and entertaining. It must be extremely difficult to step into another author’s shoes, but Mike Lupica has been able to capture much of the essence of Parker’s books in Fool’s Paradise. He seems to understand the characters that the original author created and has added even more depth to their personalities. Lupica’s writing style is definitely reminiscent of those earlier books. I enjoyed this latest Jesse Stone mystery and I think other fans of Robert B Parker will too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S FOOL'S PARADISE ABOUT?
Suitcase Simpson calls Jesse to the scene of a murder, an unidentified man has been found shot at the lakeshore. Jesse recognizes the man—they'd been at the same AA meeting the previous night. It's not Jesse's regular meeting, and he didn't think this man was a regular, either. But at least they had a first name to go off of.

Suit is able to find out at least a little about what the man did after the meeting. He'd taken a taxi from the neighboring town into Paradise. He even had an address—the mansion of a rich and influential family who'd been in Paradise for ages. They're quick to claim they didn't know the man, or that he'd been at the house in the hours before he was shot. No member of PPD believes this, but there's little they can do until they learn a bit more about the victim.

Jesse admits this isn't entirely rational—but doesn't back off from it—the fact that he and the victim came to the same meeting, both needing the help that can be found there, created a link for between the two of them. Jesse felt like he owed this man justice more than he would another victim (not that Jesse's ever been known to not try to find justice for anyone, it's just personal this time). I loved this little touch—it felt very true to the character and his circumstances, but something that a lot of authors wouldn't do.

Not long after this, someone takes a shot at Jesse while he's in his home. Soon, other members of the PPD are attacked off-duty. As always, Jesse, Molly, and Suit acknowledge that coincidences exist, but they have a hard time believing in them. So while they try to identify the murder victim and figure out what he's going in Paradise (and that part of Paradise in particular), they also need to figure out why someone would be attacking the PPD. And are the two cases related?

A NICE LITTLE BONUS
There's a lot of Molly in this book. She gets whole chapters without Jesse in them, and a lot of space on her own in chapters with him. We get a little bit of an off-the-job look at Molly, as well as seeing her work part of the investigation. Yes, Jesse's the central character and should be the focus—but any time that Lupica (or whoever) can flesh out Molly, Suitcase, or any of the others is time well spent (I like the new deputy, too—he was a nice touch). But Molly's been a favorite since Night Passage introduced this world, and she's rarely been used as well as the character should've been. It's so nice to see that.

LUPICA'S TAKE ON JESSE STONE
I was worried about Lupica being given the reins of this series. I was such a fan of what Colman had done, saving the series from the Michael Brandman debacle—and even from some of the uneven quality that Parker had given toward the end.

But Lupica did exactly what he needed to do—and exactly what I'd hoped (and didn't expect). He embraced the developments that Coleman introduced and built on them. He could've ignored them, or written around them, but he kept Jesse going to AA, he worked on the new relationship with Cole, and Paradise and the Paradise Police Department the same way Coleman had, treating that bit of the series with as much respect and influence as the first nine novels.

Stylistically, Lupica's closer to Parker than Coleman—which makes sense, it's the more natural way for him to write (and will likely win back some of Coleman's detractors). It works for the series, it works for the author—all in all, it's a good move.

I freely admit that I was skeptical and pessimistic about anyone but Coleman at the post-Parker helm of Jesse Stone and am glad to be proven wrong.

SOMETHING I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY
While I have thought in the past that the best use of Sunny Randall was when Parker used her in the Jesse Stone novels, I wasn't thrilled to see her in these pages—I thought that Stone, at least, had grown past this relationship. It's not what it was back in the 3-4 books that Parker wrote with them as a couple, but reflects where they both are now.

I've got to say, I liked her here. I liked her in Paradise more than I liked her in the two books that Lupica has written about Sunny. If he keeps this up, I won't complain.

LUPICA'S WAR ON MY SANITY
Sure, that's hyperbolic. But it felt like he was doing this to just bug me.

The mansion that the taxi pulled up to that fateful night is owned by the Cain family, Whit and Lilly Cain. Whit suffered a stroke a few months back, so his wife, Lilly, is who Jesse primarily interacts with. She's brash, confident, loud, and flirtatious.

Now, I've watched the Veronica Mars series more times than I should have. Season One more than the rest. Every time I read "Lilly Cain," I couldn't think about anything other than "Lily Kane," Veronica's brash, confident, loud, and flirtatious friend.

I know it's a coincidence, that neither name is all that rare. But it didn't feel that way.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT FOOL'S PARADISE?
I liked this so much more than I expected to. I went into this hoping I wouldn't hate it, and it didn't take long at all for me to realize I was enjoying it. The prose crackled and moved quickly. There was enough of Jesse's quiet humor to keep me grinning. The relationships and banter between the characters was spot on. The cases were compelling, interestingly framed, and well-executed. Lupica tied his novel into the overall history of the series well (referencing over half of the books, I think) and established that he's the right man for the job. I strongly recommend this—either for new readers or established fans. Robert B. Parker's Fool's Paradise is a satisfying read that'll get you eager to see what comes next.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

A wild ride once again with a difficult murder by a friend or foe? And then it gets personal when the team become targets. All while Jesse fights his demons one day at a time. Loved Connie making an appearance. Truly couldn't put it down.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

I have read all the novels in the Jesse Stone series and was looking forward to this one. I enjoy the sardonic wit and the comradery between Jesse, Chief of the Paradise MA Police Department, and his staff. Mike Lupica has taken on the mantle of authoring this iconic cop since Robert Parker’s death and has done an admirable job preserving the “flavor” of these novels.

In Fool’s Paradise, Jesse and his crew are called upon to investigate the shooting death of a young man, a stranger to the town, who has no identification and no record to trace his identity. It leads them to the home of one of the richest and most influential families in Paradise. Simultaneously, Jesse and two of his long term staff, Molly and “Suit,” are targeted by an unknown assailant with a varied repertoire of attempts to harm or kill them. Are these attacks related to the killer of the dead man or another perpetrator with a grudge against the three of them?

I was a bit disappointed in this offering. I don’t recall this much profanity, some of which I felt was gratuitous, in past books. I’m not a prude, but the number of times the f-word found its way into the dialogue seemed excessive to me. Also, Jesse’s alcoholism has always been an important theme, but again, the focus here seemed all-pervasive and even at times repetitive. While I enjoyed the repartee between Jesse, Sunny Randall (his long distance on-again, off again relationship) and Molly, the storyline itself seemed a bit weak.

My thanks to the author, Penguin Random House LLC and NetGalley for providing the opportunity to review a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another day, another author taking on the Jesse Stone series. I have followed this series from the start. The original and obviously the best Robert B Parker, through Michael Brandman (not quite there, sorry), through Reed Farrell Coleman (superb) and now sportswriter Mike Lupica (jury still out, too early, but looks very promising) who also, incidentally reignited the Sunny Randall series by continuing from where Parker left off with Blood Feud and Grudge Match.
Right... history lesson over. I love Jesse Stone. OK so I am probably biased by the fact that I actually watched the TV films first, not knowing they were books, but... when I did finally work this out, I whizzed through them at a rate of knots. So I guess, reading them in this way, playing catch-up like I did, has given me a better idea of how the series has continued under the different authors. And, apart from the already mentioned blip, I think it's definitely a series worth continuing with.
So... there's a boy at the lake in Paradise and Jesse joins Suit at the scene. Jesse recognises the deceased as being someone who also went to the same AA meeting as he did the previous evening. But, apart from a first name which could be false, and with no id on him, the man remains a mystery. The investigation begins in earnest and it soon transpires that their man was dropped off in a taxi at the gate to one of Paradise's most wealthiest families. But who is he and what business did he have at the Cain house?
Things get more complicated when Molly, Suit and Jesse appear to be targeted and an old friend is brought in to try and keep them all safe. Is this related to the dead body or is there more afoot in Paradise? And how will all this affect Jesse's new found and still quite early days sobriety?
I love these books, I've already said as much. I had no idea that The Bitterest Pill was Coleman's last and have no idea why. That said, Mike Lupica did a good job rebooting Sunny (the other series I have read from the start) and seems to have got under Jesse's skin enough to make him feel as real here as, well, as Parker did originally. Not easy to do as Molly herself explains that Jesse "is the most alonest man she has ever known" - so sad but sums him up a treat.
The story contained herein is a cracker. Although I did guess a little ahead of time, the rest did flummox me for a bit. All the usual supporting cast are here and all behave exactly as expected. Continuity is definitely the case all through. But I did feel at times that the author went a little too far keep mentioning others by name who don't really have any real part to play in this story. Namedropping - maybe, maybe just trying to get the old faithful readers on board quicker. In my opinion unnecessary but also not too annoying. Just not needed.
Anyway... if you like this series and how it has continued thus far, you'll enjoy this one. If you're new to it, please do go back and start from book one... You probably won't regret it.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

When a man is found murdered in Paradise, Police Chief Jesse Stone realizes that he had seen the man at his recent AA meeting. What was he doing in Paradise? While trying to find out who the man was, his love of baseball may have saved Jesse’s life. Who would be brave or stupid enough to try to take out the chief of police? When two more members of their small-town force are targeted, they begin a search through past cases for someone with a grudge. Jesse is not one to give up and continues to question one of the local families in town about the murdered man. With the help of his “off and on again” lover, Sunny Randall, he protects his department as they also search for the person responsible for the attacks on him and his staff. It is wonderful that the iconic Robert B. Parker’s characters can continue for our reading pleasure. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Robert B. Parker’s Fool’s Paradise by Mike Lupica – 5 Stars
Publisher: Penguin Group Putnam
ISBN: 9780525542087

Mike Lupica is the third author to continue the Jesse Stone series since the death of Robert B. Parker. Like those before him, he has written a novel with the same wonderful characters and intelligent interesting mysteries.

As in all of the series, the dialogue between members of the police force and citizens of Paradise is witty and often teasing. That is a large part of what makes the books fun to read. We learn more about Molly Crane, Jesse’s chief deputy, friend and confidant. We follow Jesse’s love life and struggles with personal issues. There are two tangled and intriguing mysteries, reminders of past crimes and meetings with citizens of Paradise.

Fool’s Paradise follows Robert Parker’s legacy of stories that are entertaining to read, filled with great characters and plots. I’ll continue to read his series as long as talented authors keep writing them.

Reviewer: Nancy

Robert B. Parker's Fool's Paradise is the 19th Jesse Stone novel - this entry by Mike Lupica from characters originally written and created by Robert B. Parker. Due out 8th Sept 2020 from Penguin Putnam on their G.P. Putnam's Sons imprint, it's 352 pages and will be available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

These books (and the allied series) are so steeped in background that they're staples of the modern police procedural and PI canon. This series focuses around small town recovering alcoholic and Chief of Police Jesse Stone and his ensemble of supporting players. The plots are labyrinthine and tightly written with several disparate plot threads which intertwine more tightly as the book goes along until they resolve into a satisfying denouement.

The continuation of the series after the author's sudden passing in 2010 first filled me with trepidation, and therafter delight. The series has been respectfully and masterfully continued by a stable of capable writers in Parker's voice (to an almost spooky degree, honestly). I'm a keen reader for pleasure, not a literary professional by any means, but I can't easily tell what's cobbled together from Parker's notes and partially finished manuscripts and what (or if all of it) is completely new.

This was a really engaging story, well told. It's tightly plotted, the characters live and breathe, and it's really well written. It's just a solidly entertaining book. The language is average for a modern procedural/PI story (rough language, used in context with a fair number of "f-bombs" and lesser curses as well as implied consensual sex). The book also has major plot threads involving sexual and physical assault, substance abuse (alcohol), and infant abandonment which could be distressing to some readers.

This would make a perfect summer read. With all the weirdness and uncertainty in real life these days, it's comforting to know there's something we can count on to pull us out of our reality for a few hours.

Five stars, a worthy addition to the series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

The author did a beautiful job in continuing the saga of Jesse Stone , demons and all. This was not my favorite of the Jesse Stone books but it was much more than adequate. Good development of the subject matter, and of the characters themselves. I did think that the story became too procedural at times. I especially did like the crossover with Sunny Randall,and will look forward to the relationship continuing in his next book.