The Boxer and the Spy

May 1, 2008
Gr 9-11-Parker makes his second foray into YA literature with this tale of a 15-year-old aspiring boxer trying to solve the murder of one of his classmates, deemed a suicide by the authorities. As in his adult "Spenser" books, the question is not so much who committed the crime as how the protagonist will catch him (it is apparent pretty early on who the bad guys are). Terry Novak battles a group of powerful, evil individuals with only his wits, toughness, and a few loyal friends to help him. He has a personal code that requires him to avenge wrongdoing against innocents and will use violence only when forced to. In many ways it is Terry himself rather than the solving of the crime that is the main focus of the novel: haltingly, and often inarticulately, he begins to explore what it means to live honorably, with moral purpose. In this he is aided by George, the wise, elderly black man who is teaching him to fight, and by Abby, the sassy beauty whom Terry hopes to make his girlfriend. As in any Parker novel, the dialogue is delightful. Character is revealed in a word, a phrase, or sometimes even a gesture. (Has any writer ever conveyed more meaning through a shrug?) While some may object that the fight scenes are a little too graphic or the resolution a little too neat, few could question either the quality of the writing or the book's undeniable appeal to teen readers."Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2008
Parkers second foray into the YA mystery field (after Edenville Owls, 2007), finds 15-year-old Terry Novak learning the ropes of boxing from a wizened ex-fighter, who is classic Parkergruff but keenly understanding. At the same time, Terrys best friend, Abby, is dizzyingly becoming something closer to a girlfriend, though neither really know what to make of the evolving relationship. When a quiet, nerdy kid is found dead of an apparent suicide, murkily involving steroids, theduo make it their business to figure out what really happened. Although Parker leans on the boxing-as-life metaphor pretty heavily, it works; and witnessing a tough-but-sensitive guy on the make figure out when to play nice and when to get mean is classic coming-of-age stuff. What drivesthe storyhome, however, is how well Parker is able todemonstrateadolescent uncertainty about the world and thencapture those moments whenuncertainty shifts seamlesslyinto confidence. Add Parkers deft touch with dialogue and quick action scenes, and youve got a lean, welterweight contender of a mystery.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2008
If Parker's adult detective, Spenser, were a teenager, he'd probably be a lot like Terry Novak -- a boxer-in-training who's inquisitive, honorable, determined, taciturn but quick with the wiseacre response when appropriate, and accompanied by an astute girl he respects and cares for (although he's a little unsure about the romantic side of their relationship). As in Parker's first YA mystery (The Edenville Owls, rev. 7/07), the author draws a parallel between competing in sports and handling oneself in life, and Terry Novak works hard at both. A classmate's apparent suicide bothers him, and Terry decides to dig deeper into the mystery. Each chapter reads like a single television scene loaded with dialogue, while intermittent "Skycam" sections fill in characterization and background material. As Terry becomes more and more sure that the suicide was murder, the host of possible suspects creates a roll call of teen adversaries: an overconfident jock, the high school principal, a small-town politician with big dreams. The plot is revealed gradually to readers, putting them in the position, along with Terry, of being astute sleuths. But there's no mystery in the recreational potential of a novel that can be read in short bursts but still delivers a knockout punch at the end.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2008
Parker draws a parallel between competing in sports and handling oneself in life, and boxer-in-training Terry Novak works hard at both. A classmate's apparent suicide bothers him, and Terry decides to dig deeper. Each chapter reads like a television scene; intermittent "Skycam" sections fill in background. The plot is revealed gradually, putting readers in the position, with Terry, of being astute sleuths.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)