Death in Paradise (Jesse Stone Series #3) Book

Death in Paradise, the third Jesse Stone adventure, is not memorable, but it serves to pass the time.

Jesse, chief of police of the small community of Paradise, is called away from the weekly softball game: the body of a teenage girl has washed up on the inlet shore. The search for her identity and her murderer eventually leads to the nearby city of Boston, and it begins to seem as if there may be a connection between the murdered young runaway and the world of the powerful gay crime lord Gino Fish.

As a Spenser fan, I enjoyed seeing Gino'and even more his "shooter" Vinnie'again, but the mystery itself, although well conceived and executed, isn't sufficient to hold the attention. There is, however, the usual amusing interchanges between Stone and his loyal staff, including young patrolman "Suitcase" Simpson and sassy Irish Catholic policewoman Molly who runs the day-to-day operation f the sheriff's office while her boss takes care of the major crimes. There is also a subplot involving an alcoholic batterer and his long-suffering wife which is not only interesting in itself, but also gives Chief Stone a clue to his feelings about his relationship with his ex-wife Jenn.

Speaking of Jenn: I'm tired of the woman after only three books. In fact, I dislike her more than Spenser's SusanSilverman. At least Susan is on her man's side, intelligent, occasionally capable of useful insights. Can't say the same for weathergirl Jenn.

Still, it's a Robert B. Parker book, written in his inimitable, breezy style. I'll be back to read the fourth book eventually. (But I'll read another Sunny Randall first. I think I like Sunny Randall better.)