Parker, the ruthless antihero of Richard Stark’s eponymous mystery novels, is one of the most unforgettable characters in hardboiled noir. Lauded by critics for his taut realism, unapologetic amorality, and razor-sharp prose style—and adored by fans who turn each intoxicating page with increasing urgency—Stark is a master of crime writing, his books as influential as any in the genre. The University of Chicago Press has embarked on a project to return the early volumes of this series to print for a new generation of readers to discover—and become addicted to. This season’s offerings include volumes 7–9 in the series: The Seventh, The Handle, and The Rare Coin Score.
In The Seventh, the heist of a college football game goes bad, and the take is stolen by a crazed, violent amateur. Parker must outrun the cops—and the killer—to retrieve his cash. In The Handle, Parker is enlisted by the mob to knock off an island casino guarded by speedboats and heavies, forty miles from the Texas coast. The Rare Coin Score features the first appearance of Claire, who will steal Parker’s heister’s heart—while together they steal two million dollars of rare coins.
"Last year the University of Chicago Press acknowledged their excellence by embarking on a uniform edition of the first 16 novels in the series. . . . Whether early or late, the Parker novels are all superlative literary entertainments. . . . Parker's only virtues are his intelligence and his professionalism--yet somehow you always end up rooting for him. Nietzsche knew why: When you look into an abyss, the abyss looks into you."--Terry Teachout"Weekly Standard" (12/14/2009)
Last year the University of Chicago Press acknowledged their excellence by embarking on a uniform edition of the first 16 novels in the series. . . . Whether early or late, the Parker novels are all superlative literary entertainments. . . . Parker s only virtues are his intelligence and his professionalism yet somehow you always end up rooting for him. Nietzsche knew why: When you look into an abyss, the abyss looks into you. --Terry Teachout"Weekly Standard" (12/14/2009)"
Parker is refreshingly amoral, a thief who always gets away with the swag.
--Stephen King "Entertainment Weekly ""
Parker . . . lumbers through the pages of Richard Stark s noir novels scattering dead bodies like peanut shells. . . . In a complex world [he] makes things simple.
--William Grimes "New York Times ""
Whatever Stark writes, I read. He s a stylist, a pro, and I thoroughly enjoy his attitude.
--Elmore Leonard"
Richard Stark s Parker novels . . . are among the most poised and polished fictions of their time and, in fact, of any time.
--John Banville "Bookforum ""
Parker is a true treasure. . . . The master thief is back, along with Richard Stark.
--Marilyn Stasio "New York Times Book Review ""
Donald Westlake s Parker novels are among the small number of books I read over and over. Forget all that crap you ve been telling yourself about "War and Peace" and Proust these are the books you ll want on that desert island.
--Lawrence Block"
Richard Stark writes a harsh and frightening story of criminal warfare and vengeance with economy, understatement and a deadly amoral objectivity a remarkable addition to the list of the shockers that the French call roman noirs.
--Anthony Boucher "New York Times Book Review ""
The UC Press mission, to reprint the 1960s Parker novels of Richard Stark (the late Donald Westlake), is wholly admirable. The books have been out of print for decades, and the fast-paced, hard-boiled thrillers featuring the thief Parker are brilliant.
--H. J. Kirchoff "Globe and Mail ""
