I normally enjoy the Sunny Randall series, but this entry seemed much ado about nothing, so to speak. Sunny is persuaded to take a job she had previously turned down simply because the amount offered was increased dramatically. Looking for the missing CEO of the Gonzo energy drink company, Sunny encounters virtually all of the usual supporting cast of characters; Spike, Desmond, Desmond, Susan, and of course Ritchie. The constant back and forth with Ritchie throughout the series has gotten somewhat tiresome and reminds me of the Jessie Stone series and his back and forth with his ex wife. It's all a bit too by the numbers for me. But it was an easy read however, completed in one evening.

This was a great who done it mystery where tech and jealousy come to play. I really enjoyed the characters as well as the thrill that you could feel while Sunny solved this case.

Robert B. Parker's Buzz Kill by Alison Gaylin was a great mystery!
A compelling story I really enjoyed.
I have not read the previous titles but now I might have to check them out!

Robert B. Parker's Buzz Kill by Alison Gaylin is a reviting mystery. Sunny Randall is one of the great private investigators and she solves this case in record time.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Alison Gaylin’s Robert B. Parker’s Buzz Kill is a thrilling addition to the Sunny Randall series, showcasing her talent for blending classic detective elements with contemporary issues.

This twelfth installment sees Boston PI Sunny Randall embroiled in a high-stakes investigation that tests her skills and resilience.

The novel begins with Sunny Randall recovering from a near-death experience, contemplating a quieter life. Her plans are interrupted when billionaire media magnate Bill Welch hires her to find his missing son, Dylan, the co-founder of the Gonzo Energy Drink company. Dylan, known for his reckless lifestyle, has vanished, and his mother, Lydia, is convinced something terrible has happened. As Sunny delves into Dylan’s life, she uncovers a web of deceit, dangerous business practices, and personal betrayals that put her own life at risk.

Sunny Randall remains a compelling protagonist, her resilience and sharp wit making her a standout in the detective genre. Gaylin does an excellent job of fleshing out the supporting characters, from the enigmatic Dylan to his ambitious business partner, Sky. Each character is multi-dimensional, adding depth and complexity to the narrative.

Buzz Kill explores themes of loyalty, redemption, and the dark side of ambition. Gaylin deftly examines the impact of corporate greed and personal vendettas, highlighting the moral ambiguities that Sunny must navigate. The novel also touches on the importance of family and the lengths one will go to protect loved ones.

Gaylin’s writing is crisp and engaging, with a perfect balance of dialogue and description. The pacing is brisk, keeping readers hooked from the first page to the last. Her ability to weave intricate plots with emotional depth makes this novel a standout in the series.

Robert B. Parker’s Buzz Kill is a must-read for fans of the Sunny Randall series and anyone who enjoys a well-crafted detective story.

Alison Gaylin has successfully continued Parker’s legacy, delivering a novel that is both thrilling and thought-provoking.

Highly recommended for those who appreciate a blend of classic detective work and contemporary issues.

This, the 11th entry in the Sunny Randall series, ushers in a new author, or so I've read. While it's a solid, well-written story, IMHO it doesn't quite have the "edginess" of its predecessors. The Boston private investigator - a sometimes very close friend of the late Robert B. Parker's Paradise, Massachusetts, police chief Jesse Stone and a patient of Dr. Susan Silverman, the main squeeze of another of his well-known characters, Spenser - somehow seems a bit subdued and, well, overly nostalgic. Besides that, although Jesse often makes a personal appearance in the series, if only briefly, he's noticeably absent here and I missed him.

But only a little. And it certainly doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this book - I even stayed up a bit late for bed to finish it, in fact. Sunny is in the midst of recovering from a really nasty case that nearly did her in, so she's feeling a bit vulnerable and mulling her future in the business. She's also dealing with mixed emotions regarding her ex, Richie - the son of a powerful local mobster - who's making noises about getting back together (but with some strings attached). When the wife of a billionaire stops in to insist that she take on the case of finding her missing but no-good son Dylan, then, Sunny is less than receptive. That's especially true since she's had a run-in with the kid that left her, shall we say, knowing he's hardly her favorite person.

The ne'er-do-well Dylan just happens to be the head of a highly successful energy drink company called Gonzo, although he seems to have little interest in doing anything except get into trouble (while his long-suffering mother continues to stand by her young man in her best "boys will be boys" manner). The company is actually run in large part by Dylan's best friend, a beautiful and highly talented young woman named Sky Farley.

As Sunny's investigation progresses - with competent help from her office receptionist Blake James (a pretty cool guy, actually) and some other characters familiar to regular readers - she learns that Dylan has a few secrets that might explain why someone might be out to get him - though not whether he's alive or dead. Then, one of the technology gurus at Gonzo turns up dead, and the whole situation takes a turn for the worse.

But never fear - Sunny and her team are up to the challenge, even if it puts their own lives in jeopardy. All told, it's another satisfying romp that ends with fodder for the next installment. Bring it on! Meantime, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

Gaylin has done a wonderful job with this one in bringing the original RBP. It’s just a fun series and Sunny Randall and her gang of friends always make for an entertaining read. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

I didn’t love this book but I did enjoy it. I didn’t realize this was a series that could be read as standalone books but I will consider reading the series as a whole to get the feel of the plot and characters of the book. I wasn’t a big fan of the character development and intonations in this book. This didn’t feel like a thriller is just felt like more of a mystery book to me. Overall it was a good read. I give it 3.75 stars

Buzzkill by Robert B. Parker
I have read both the Spencer and Jesse Stone series in the past and I am a huge fan of both. I knew about this series of the Sunny Randell novels. I hadn’t read them and since Parker had passed away didn’t feel the need to read them.
This story is about Sunny getting involved in a case where a mother whose son is the owner of a successful energy drink business had disappeared. Sunny has met the missing person and really didn’t want to get involved. The mother offered her an unseemly amount of money to take the case.
While investigating, she discovered that there was a death and it looks like the missing person, Dylan Welch may be responsible.
While investigating, she is told that Dylan has a drug problem and connections with the wrong people. She begins to think that Dylan is alive and hiding.
When more bodies are discovered, she thinks there is a possibility that Dylan is the killer.
This story is set in the Boston area, and she does mention both Spencer and his girlfriend, Susan Silverman, who is also her therapist.
Sunny is working through issues with her ex-husband plus in the previous book, she had been shot.
The characters in this book include Dylan, his parents, his girlfriend/co-inventor who runs his business, and Sunny’s office assistant Blake James, who was my favorite character.
This had an interesting storyline. The characters seemed real enough and I liked the setting but I can’t say I was drawn into this series like I had been with both Spencer and Jesse Stone.
I didn’t think the writer’s voice felt like Parker. I felt it was missing something. It felt a little bland. I doubt I will continue reading this series, only because I have so many books to read and so little time.
I am giving this book a weak three stars. I would recommend it to Parker fans. But it wasn’t as enjoyable as the other series Parker wrote, at least not for me.
I do full book reviews on my blog at Blind Date with a Book – Virginia-Gruver. I write book reviews as if I had a blind date with the book. Feel free to check that out.
Thanks to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam & Sons for giving me an arc to review this book. I truly do appreciate having had a chance to read it before publication.

Fast, fun, and fabulous! Sunny Randall returns in Alison Gaylon’s Robert B. Parker’s Buzz Kill for a quick, engaging multiple murder mystery. Throw in a bit of family drama and the story twists and turns to a surprising ending. Enjoy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this ARC.

These are always a good time. A contemporary take on your typical pi storyline, which I tend to enjoy. This plot twist took me completely by surprise! I loved that. Although it can be read as a standalone I think some of the callbacks would be confusing. There is some explaining but if I hadn’t read the prior installments I think I’d be a little confused, just an FYI!

Sunny Randall is back, hired to look for a missing person. There is more to the case than she realizes. Has her missing person killed people or is something else going on.
Sunny also is contemplating getting back together with Richie. Can Sunny figure out what is going on before more people are hurt. There is a twist in the story that you won’t see coming. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

In ROBERT B PARKER’S BUZZ KILL, the newest addition to the Sunny Randall series, Sunny Randall reluctantly agrees to investigate the disappearance of Dylan Welch, the son of multimillionaire Bill Welch and his wife, Lydia. I read on to find out why Dylan vanished and if he is still alive. I also want to see how Boston P.I. Sunny Randall solves the case.

Sunny Randall is a wonderful character. I like the way the author gets me to care about Sunny’s life in the first two chapters. Being so engaged in the backstory propels me on to read the rest of the book. Sunny has a fun and interesting relationship with Spike, similar to the one Spenser has with Hawk. What fun! The mystery surrounding Dylan Welch is interesting and concludes with a kick. Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley, for the advance reader copy of ROBERT B PARKER’S BUZZ KILL.

Robert B. Parker’s Buzzkill by Alison Gaylin is the best Sunny Randall novel I’ve ever read. Ms. Gaylin really gets Sunny, and Spike and Richie and all the other regular characters.

And the mystery in this novel is a heck of a story for Sunny to solve. The client is difficult, asking her to do a job she doesn’t want to do, finding a missing son she doesn’t really want to find.

Meanwhile she and Richie are getting close again and she’s debating getting back together with him but he’s putting pressure on her about her dangerous career.

And on the other hand, the plot thickens when the missing son may have killed one, then maybe two people and shot another, a close friend.

And she’s also being chased by a Mafia goon.

The end is a double twist you won’t see coming. This is a Parker moment you definitely won’t want to miss.

I didn’t think Alison Gaylin could top her first entry in the Sunny Randall series, but this new one somehow is even better than the last one. Sunny is an obviously Parker character and Alison doesn’t mess with that, but she makes Sunny one of the most current and realistic detectives in the Parker family. With Ace Atkins no longer writing the Spenser books, Alison Gaylin has taken sole possession of the top dog of Robert B. Parker writers and it’s not even close.

Book #12 in the Sunny Randall series. Each book could be read as a stand alone, but there are characters and story lines that arc from book to book so you'd miss that. The books are quick reads, well developed characters, communities and back stories keep Sunny Randall fans happy as she searches for a missing energy drink executive and finds much more than a missing person.

I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of "Buzz Kill" by Alison Gaylin, thanks to NetGalley for providing this book for review. Right from the start, the book captivated me. While I have enjoyed several of Robert B. Parker’s series, this was my first experience with Sunny as the protagonist. I was particularly drawn to the theme of how love influences her decisions, balancing personal values with professional responsibilities.

The side characters were well-crafted and contributed significantly to the story's progression. The narrative was straightforward, featuring just the right number of characters to keep track of without confusion. The plot wrapped up nicely, setting the stage for future developments and further explorations of the characters.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed "Buzz Kill" and finished it in just a few days—a sure sign of a gripping read. I appreciated that the book was concise, which held my attention without skimping on a satisfying storyline. I’m eager to dive more into Sunny’s character in future readings.

Picking up where the last novel left off, after much convincing and a fat check from his mom, PI Sunny Randall is on the hunt for Dylan Welsh. The hard-partying energy drink company head has been missing for two weeks...is he on a bender, in rehab, or dead? Things escalate quickly when a body turns up and it's clear Dylan hasn't left on his own. If you like Robert B. Parker books you will probably enjoy this entry in the series. It's fast-paced, covering only a couple days in time, and is a quick, not overly complicated plot. I liked the addition of former influencer Blake (from the previous novel) as Sunny's new assistant.

Absolutely freakin' fantastic!!! Alison Gaylin keeps Robert B. Parker's Sunny Randall so true to the original author's depiction. After a tough case (explained well so the reader doesn't have to necessarily read the previous book, but you'll want to) Sunny is coasting. Trying to figure out her life.. keeping Richie, Spike, and Rosie very close. Sunny is visited by Dylan Welch's parents - first his father, and then his mother. Dylan has gone missing and his parents - especially his Mom - would like him located. Money is no object, as evidenced by the huge check Mrs. Welch (please call her Lydia) gives Sunny. In true fashion, Sunny dives in into the business Dylan was helping to run and notices things aren't exactly what it seems. Truly an incredible read - I could not put down this book. Ms. Gaylin, you are incredible! A great big thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for an advanced reader of this book - the opinions expressed are my own. READ THIS BOOK!

Another Sunny Randall book...I think Alison is doing better than her predecessor! Fun and fast read...entertaining setting with an energy drink backdrop.