What do you think?
Rate this book
Parker #20
Firebreak
Parker put down the body and answered the phone. And from that moment on he had two jobs to do. One was to rob a remote Montana lodge where a dot-com billionaire hid stolen art treasures in his basement. The other was to find out why a hit man had come to his home -- and who had sent him. Pa
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
October 24, 2018
When Parker’s in the middle of killing somebody you’d think he’d be too busy to take a phone call about a potential job, but a man’s gotta eat.
The score is a bunch of valuable paintings that a rich d-bag had stolen for himself and are now hidden away in a remote hunting lodge he owns. However, security is very high due to a previous botched robbery attempt, there’s a very tight clock on when this has to get done, and one of the crew is a high-strung computer nerd fresh out of prison. Parker also needs to track down whoever sent a hit man after him so there’s no shortage of complications to this one.
This series started in the ‘60s, and I think it works best as retro old school crime stories. However, Richard Stark (a/k/a Donald Westlake) came up with some good modern variations on his usual stories when he brought Parker back in the ‘90s. Here, the rich guy made his money as part of the dot-com boom back when those guys were just wealthy assholes rather than evil billionaires bent on destroying democracy and/or the working class. Ah, the good old days….
So between that and all the Internet and communication angles to the heist you can tell that Stark was figuring out a way to make Parker still viable in the digital age. And it works. They may be using computers to help pull of this heist, but somebody still has to go in and get the stuff which also means having a tough guy who can think on his feet.
I also liked the angle to the hit man story and the brutally efficient way that Parker backtracks the guy to the people who have an old grudge against him. There’s a lot going on in this one, but Stark makes it all fit together and hum along right along to its conclusion.
The score is a bunch of valuable paintings that a rich d-bag had stolen for himself and are now hidden away in a remote hunting lodge he owns. However, security is very high due to a previous botched robbery attempt, there’s a very tight clock on when this has to get done, and one of the crew is a high-strung computer nerd fresh out of prison. Parker also needs to track down whoever sent a hit man after him so there’s no shortage of complications to this one.
This series started in the ‘60s, and I think it works best as retro old school crime stories. However, Richard Stark (a/k/a Donald Westlake) came up with some good modern variations on his usual stories when he brought Parker back in the ‘90s. Here, the rich guy made his money as part of the dot-com boom back when those guys were just wealthy assholes rather than evil billionaires bent on destroying democracy and/or the working class. Ah, the good old days….
So between that and all the Internet and communication angles to the heist you can tell that Stark was figuring out a way to make Parker still viable in the digital age. And it works. They may be using computers to help pull of this heist, but somebody still has to go in and get the stuff which also means having a tough guy who can think on his feet.
I also liked the angle to the hit man story and the brutally efficient way that Parker backtracks the guy to the people who have an old grudge against him. There’s a lot going on in this one, but Stark makes it all fit together and hum along right along to its conclusion.
Read
December 29, 2020
"When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man. His knees pressed down on the interloper’s back, his hands were clasped around his forehead."
How's that for an opening of a novel? With Firebreak, Donald E. Westlake writing as Richard Stark has created a crime noir lollapalooza.
Here's a prime reason: published in 2001, Firebreak features two separate plotlines intersecting as a consequence of that distinctive feature of our postmodern society - the internet.
Oh, yes, Stark fans, on top of all his other challenges and concerns while living the life of an outlaw, Parker must now deal with the reality of a world connected by highly sophisticated technologies, the internet at its core.
Again, twin plots fuel Firebreak:
1) Parker meets with Wiss and Elkins, two heisters he has worked with previously. They talk of a job involving famous stolen artworks currently in a secret room at a billionaire's private mansion out in rural Montana. There's a sophisticated security system but they tell Parker they can handle any technology no matter how sophisticated since the other man in the room who's part of their team, a nerdy looking guy Parker hasn't met before, is a computer/electronics wiz by the name of Larry Lloyd.
2) Before Parker joins this trio on the Montana art heist, other business must be dealt with - specifically, the guy Parker killed in his garage turns out to be a hit man from Russia. Who sent this killer? Parker has to find out and deal with it.
Both plots contains multiple subplots. Several of my personal favorites from the highlight reel:
Time Sensitive
Usually a heist doesn't come with a deadline. But the Montana job has a deadline since Elkins and Wiss need cash for Corbett and Dolan, two of their partners from a past heist (Elkins and Wiss escaped but Corbett and Dolan were caught and have to pay money for lawyers and bail). If Elkins and Wiss don't come up with the dough fast, Corbett and Dolan will rat on them to lessen their own time behind bars. To pile on additional complication to an already complex equation: Corbett and Dolan are not the kind of guys who like to sit on the sideline and watch; nope, this pair is action all the way.
Super Geek, One
Parker is taken by surprise by Larry Lloyd, a bland looking man in his early thirties with thinning sandy hair and prominent horn-rimmed glasses and wearing a blue button-down shirt with a row of pens in his pocket. Parker is even more surprised when Larry says he's spent time in prison. Welcome to the 21st century, Parker, a world where criminals need not look like, well, hardened criminals. The inclusion of Larry Lloyd marks a shift in the underworld of crime, where seasoned lockpickers and safecrackers are replaced by computer hackers and dorky looking MIT science eggheads.
Odd Couple
Taking the needed steps to solve his problem regarding that Russian hitman, Parker teams up with a most unlikely partner: retired oldster Arthur who never owned or fired a gun in his life. As the two drive to an office in Bayonne, New Jersey, Parker tells Arthur, "If it turns bad, drop flat and roll into the corner." Arthur says, "And consign my soul to Jesus." Parker replies, "If you want."
Dastardly Duo
Stark fans will remember two scoundrels from The Sour Lemon Score: Paul Brock and Matt Rosenstein. These gents make a return appearance here. One of the many weaknesses of effete Paul Brock is his blind love for Matt Rosenstein. A dedicated Westlake fan writes, "To call Matt Rosenstein an animal would be doing a disservice to animals, predatory or not. He's the worst person ever to appear in a Parker novel." I concur. Rosenstein, who is now confined to a wheelchair after Parker crippled him ten years prior, spends his hours fuming at the world like some sadistic, spoiled adolescent. Pathetic.
The inclusion of these swinish bastards underscores the Westlake/Starkian morality that runs through the entire Parker series: if you don't know who you are or if you make a blunder in judgement, you will definitely pay the price, usually a monumental price, odds are you'll even have to pay with your very life.
Dot Com Billionaire
Paxton Marino owns that mansion in Montana, an arrogant, obnoxious chap, for sure. Here's what one detective thinks of mister moneybags: "A jumpted-up johnny-come-lately, Marino acted with such smug arrogance it made Hayes want to punch him in the mouth. Marino strolled through life with the self-satisfaction of someone who comes from a long line of rulers of the universe, and goddam it, he did not."
Nerdy in Montana
Westlake/Stark recognizes our worldwide computerized culture spawns millions of people at the opposite end of the spectrum from creative, innovative Larry Lloyd. One such is Dave Rappleyea. "Rappleyea had some sort of handheld computer game he was playing, pausing only to order his dinner, then eating one-handed so he could continue to play with the other." Is Dave R playing his computer game or is the computer game playing Dave, turning him into a passive, solipsistic dope addicted to his computer screen? If you read a Donald E. Westlake novel carefully, you'll detect caustic social commentary lacing the pages.
Super Geek, Two
In many ways, the most dramatic episodes in Firebreak relate to wishy-washy Larry Lloyd transforming into an outlaw on the run. And Larry can become quite emotional and inclined to fits of rage (Larry spent time in prison for attempting to murder his former partner in computer technology). The closing chapters of the novel where Larry Lloyd outlines a risky plan and initiates action are (at least by this reviewer's judgement) among the most moving and memorable in the entire Parker series. I never, ever thought I'd be close to tears while reading a Richard Stark novel, but I was toward the end of Firebreak.
Firebreak is an ace in the deck of Parker novels. I give it ten stars. Read it.
American author Donald E. Westlake, 1933-2008
March 11, 2021
"The first line sort of catches your attention: "When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."
This is an opening that the Parker reader hopes will return him to his harder, tougher self, and Stark/Westlake to his earlier, leaner approach, but it is not to be. One feature of this novel, #20 in the Parker series, is that Parker has to deal with two situations simultaneously. The first, connected to the above killing, is his dealing with guys (Paul and Max from The Sour Lemon Score, Book 12) trying to kill him regarding a past heist, and the second scene takes Parker to a Montana hunting lodge where a dot-com millionaire hides stolen paintings. The first story is more satisfying than the second.
The novel is solid, better than most mysteries, but for a Parker book, it is really just average. It (again) has Stark taking too long to get to the heist, compared to his earliest books. Parker in those books such as Butcher’s Moon or The Hunter have never joked around with a computer nerd, Larry Lloyd, as he does, when Lloyd messes up. In earlier books, such as Butcher’s Moon, he simply would have shot the guy and saved us fifty pages. The nods to the internet, the need to break through electronic protections (vs. just breaking a window), to the focus on the dot.com instant rich slimeballs, eh, I’ll take a seventies Parker any time. But 3 stars for me still means it is a good story. Stark is one of the best.
This is an opening that the Parker reader hopes will return him to his harder, tougher self, and Stark/Westlake to his earlier, leaner approach, but it is not to be. One feature of this novel, #20 in the Parker series, is that Parker has to deal with two situations simultaneously. The first, connected to the above killing, is his dealing with guys (Paul and Max from The Sour Lemon Score, Book 12) trying to kill him regarding a past heist, and the second scene takes Parker to a Montana hunting lodge where a dot-com millionaire hides stolen paintings. The first story is more satisfying than the second.
The novel is solid, better than most mysteries, but for a Parker book, it is really just average. It (again) has Stark taking too long to get to the heist, compared to his earliest books. Parker in those books such as Butcher’s Moon or The Hunter have never joked around with a computer nerd, Larry Lloyd, as he does, when Lloyd messes up. In earlier books, such as Butcher’s Moon, he simply would have shot the guy and saved us fifty pages. The nods to the internet, the need to break through electronic protections (vs. just breaking a window), to the focus on the dot.com instant rich slimeballs, eh, I’ll take a seventies Parker any time. But 3 stars for me still means it is a good story. Stark is one of the best.
May 22, 2011
Parker hooks up with some other criminals to steal art from an internet millionaire's hunting lodge. But can Parker and the gang complete the heist with someone sending hitmen to kill Parker?
I loved the beginning of Firebreak. Parker's in the process of killing a man sent to kill him and makes Claire answer the phone. As for the rest of it...?
Like most of the Parker books released after Butcher's Moon, Firebreak seemed really padded. While I liked the idea of some people Parker shouldn't have left alive gunning for him, the whole art heist part of the plot seemed excessively complex and not like something Parker would have gotten involved with or stayed involved with as complication after complication arose. It took forever to get to the actual heist.
Another thing I don't like is that Parker didn't do away with Larry Lloyd at the first sign of trouble. The Parker of the first ten or fifteen books would have put a bullet in Lloyd at the first sign of trouble. Is it just me or does Parker seem a little soft in the post Butcher's Moon books?
That being said, Parker still does what he does best in Firebreak. If you liked the rest of the Parker books, you'll like this one. Just don't expect the magic of the pre-Butcher's Moon era.
I loved the beginning of Firebreak. Parker's in the process of killing a man sent to kill him and makes Claire answer the phone. As for the rest of it...?
Like most of the Parker books released after Butcher's Moon, Firebreak seemed really padded. While I liked the idea of some people Parker shouldn't have left alive gunning for him, the whole art heist part of the plot seemed excessively complex and not like something Parker would have gotten involved with or stayed involved with as complication after complication arose. It took forever to get to the actual heist.
Another thing I don't like is that Parker didn't do away with Larry Lloyd at the first sign of trouble. The Parker of the first ten or fifteen books would have put a bullet in Lloyd at the first sign of trouble. Is it just me or does Parker seem a little soft in the post Butcher's Moon books?
That being said, Parker still does what he does best in Firebreak. If you liked the rest of the Parker books, you'll like this one. Just don't expect the magic of the pre-Butcher's Moon era.
December 25, 2015
Another Parker novel does mean another heist and indeed so it does.
But.
This movie is less than the earlier books about a heist, it is mostly what happens when stuff goes wrong. The heist seemed a good idea and then life catches up and a sweet score of illegally obtained art seems to become an impossible score when it comes to actually trying to steal it from a billionaires home.
At the same time the book opens with Parker killing a man who is visiting Parker & Claire's home with the sole intention of ending Parker's life. And Parker does not take kindly to such behaviour as he sets on a trail back to the ones ordering the hit. And he does so with a single-minded approach that leaves the people doing the job shaken and a little more than disturbed.
An excellent Parker novel albeit a tad more amusing than I was used. Perhaps Westlake was more in control than Stark. It still is a very good and well written crime thriller that leaves you with an urge to read more Parker material.
But.
This movie is less than the earlier books about a heist, it is mostly what happens when stuff goes wrong. The heist seemed a good idea and then life catches up and a sweet score of illegally obtained art seems to become an impossible score when it comes to actually trying to steal it from a billionaires home.
At the same time the book opens with Parker killing a man who is visiting Parker & Claire's home with the sole intention of ending Parker's life. And Parker does not take kindly to such behaviour as he sets on a trail back to the ones ordering the hit. And he does so with a single-minded approach that leaves the people doing the job shaken and a little more than disturbed.
An excellent Parker novel albeit a tad more amusing than I was used. Perhaps Westlake was more in control than Stark. It still is a very good and well written crime thriller that leaves you with an urge to read more Parker material.
November 18, 2016
With the very first line of Firebreak I had to laugh, though there is nothing funny about Richard Stark’s Parker books. If you want that, read the misadventures of John Dortmunder written under the author’s real name of Donald E. Westlake. But that opening sentence: “When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man.” It tells you everything you need to know about Parker. The rest are details. Like that he’s a professional thief; professional meaning that it is how he makes his living and the attitude with which he goes about his work. An attitude that carries with it some hard and near-unbreakable rules. A major one is, because it brings more heat from the police, you avoid killing whenever possible. That Parker usually leaves a long line of bodies in his wake, it tells you everything you need to know about the series.
It’s about the complications. It may well be possible to write a story where the planning and execution of a robbery plays out perfectly--it probably has been done--but that does not a series make. When the setup and/or completion of a job encounters what seems to be unending interference and obstacles, that’s when Parker is at his most ruthlessly efficient. Everything that does not pertain to success is expendable. And everyone. And that’s what we paid to see.
The man being killed in the garage was a hit man sent to kill Parker. The phone call concerns liberating some priceless but illegal paintings from their current owner. Initially Parker has to trace and eliminate the source of the first so he is free to concentrate on the second. More complications ensue.
As they had to.
As Parker backtracks the trail of the assassin; as we meet and learn the lives of his current colleagues and what complications their personal situations bring to the equation; and, of course, how far Parker will have to go to clear each obstruction. Otherwise what’s the point? Westlake had always meant these books to be quick, clean reads and, despite all the bodies, light entertainment. Since there are no deeper meanings or serious introspection to be found, individual success depends on each set of complications. Are they interesting? And is Parker’s response as they begin to pile up equally engaging? It’s not always the case. Firebreak is an example of when it is. Quick, clean entertainment.
It’s about the complications. It may well be possible to write a story where the planning and execution of a robbery plays out perfectly--it probably has been done--but that does not a series make. When the setup and/or completion of a job encounters what seems to be unending interference and obstacles, that’s when Parker is at his most ruthlessly efficient. Everything that does not pertain to success is expendable. And everyone. And that’s what we paid to see.
The man being killed in the garage was a hit man sent to kill Parker. The phone call concerns liberating some priceless but illegal paintings from their current owner. Initially Parker has to trace and eliminate the source of the first so he is free to concentrate on the second. More complications ensue.
As they had to.
As Parker backtracks the trail of the assassin; as we meet and learn the lives of his current colleagues and what complications their personal situations bring to the equation; and, of course, how far Parker will have to go to clear each obstruction. Otherwise what’s the point? Westlake had always meant these books to be quick, clean reads and, despite all the bodies, light entertainment. Since there are no deeper meanings or serious introspection to be found, individual success depends on each set of complications. Are they interesting? And is Parker’s response as they begin to pile up equally engaging? It’s not always the case. Firebreak is an example of when it is. Quick, clean entertainment.
December 21, 2021
There is a lot going on in Firebreak. Loose ends from an old caper taint new prospects for Parker. He'll have to tie things up in order to come out ahead, as usual.
But, that's what makes this series wonderful. While reading these books, in my head, I dare the other characters to try and cross the biggest badass in all of fiction.
This one is middle of the pack for Parker which puts it above most other books and guarantees an entertaining read.
But, that's what makes this series wonderful. While reading these books, in my head, I dare the other characters to try and cross the biggest badass in all of fiction.
This one is middle of the pack for Parker which puts it above most other books and guarantees an entertaining read.
May 27, 2015
2.5 starts, better than the last, but Parker still isn't back to his norm. He's timeless & the last job isn't mentioned. That should have earned him $800,000, enough that I can't see him sticking with this job after all that went wrong up front.
Nor do I understand the people he left alive.
I tried hard to forget about the old Parker & just concentrated on the present. As an action novel, it was pretty good. There were a couple of practical details that didn't seem quite right, but most were OK.
Nor do I understand the people he left alive.
I tried hard to forget about the old Parker & just concentrated on the present. As an action novel, it was pretty good. There were a couple of practical details that didn't seem quite right, but most were OK.
December 12, 2021
One of the strongest tales in this crime riddled series staring our favorite professional thief: Parker. Said tale comes stuffed with crime capers, double crosses, bikers, gamblers, guns, hostages and heavies for all those who so desire. Oh yeah- this one gets more than a little bit messy!!
Four Fiery Stars!!!
Four Fiery Stars!!!
November 28, 2022
Donald Westlake was a very talented and prolific author of crime fiction who passed away in 2008. He wrote under his own name as well as the pen name Richard Stark. I have read several of his novels including some in the Dortmunder series which I really enjoy. The Dortmunder novels are about a thief and his gang and include a lot of humor thrown in. On the other hand, the Parker novels written under the name Richard Stark are a lot more gritty and hard core.
FIREBREAK is the first Parker novel that I have read and I thought it was a really good action noir novel. The novel starts out with Parker killing a man in his garage who was a hired assassin out to do away with Parker. The story actually has Parker dealing with two jobs. First, he has to find out who sent the hit man to kill him and why. Then he gets a call from a cohort who has a plan to rob a remote lodge owned by a billionaire in Montana. The lodge contains a fortune in gold fixtures including toilets and sinks but also contains a secret room housing stolen art treasures. Parker teams up with a crew to do the heist in Montana which includes an ex-con named Lloyd who is a computer whiz and who can crack the lodge's alarm system. But Lloyd also seems to be a loose cannon who could blow up at any minute.
I really enjoyed this one and will be looking to read more in this series if I can find them. The Parker character has also been featured in a few movies including Point Blank starring Lee Marvin which was based on the first Parker novel and the 2013 movie Parker which starred Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez. I recently saw and enjoyed the Parker movie and I remember seeing Point Blank years ago and will be looking forward to seeing it again.
FIREBREAK is the first Parker novel that I have read and I thought it was a really good action noir novel. The novel starts out with Parker killing a man in his garage who was a hired assassin out to do away with Parker. The story actually has Parker dealing with two jobs. First, he has to find out who sent the hit man to kill him and why. Then he gets a call from a cohort who has a plan to rob a remote lodge owned by a billionaire in Montana. The lodge contains a fortune in gold fixtures including toilets and sinks but also contains a secret room housing stolen art treasures. Parker teams up with a crew to do the heist in Montana which includes an ex-con named Lloyd who is a computer whiz and who can crack the lodge's alarm system. But Lloyd also seems to be a loose cannon who could blow up at any minute.
I really enjoyed this one and will be looking to read more in this series if I can find them. The Parker character has also been featured in a few movies including Point Blank starring Lee Marvin which was based on the first Parker novel and the 2013 movie Parker which starred Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez. I recently saw and enjoyed the Parker movie and I remember seeing Point Blank years ago and will be looking forward to seeing it again.
February 14, 2019
A little different than Stark's usual plot, where Parker assembles a team for a heist and then something goes wrong, often betrayal by a greedy partner. The book opens with Parker killing someone sent to kill him, which sidetracks the heist as Parker toodles off to track down who hired the assassin. I admired his restraint in not killing the elderly couple sent to monitor his home as he figures out they too were duped. The heist is stealing stolen art masterpieces back from a dot-com billionaire. When the team is finally ready to strike, the ATF, FBI and local police all converge on the billionaire's Montana mansion, making the score look impossible until a highly motivated, but unstable member of the team provides some real ingenuity.
August 17, 2012
This is the second Parker novel that I have read. The first was “The Man with the Getaway Face” (the second in the series) and now I have read on of the last (written in 2001). Apparently a lot has gone on in Mr. Parker’s life since that prior book.
As I began reading this one I thought that the author had completely worked over the concept of the character, not just “adjusted” him over the decades. After all, the book starts out in a thoroughly domestic scene: Parker is at home, on a quiet lake (in a “resort” town), with his wife. Wife? WIFE?? WIFE??? This is the man who unhesitatingly kills those who double-cross him or may be just thinking of doing so? Talk about “culture shock”.
But in the next few pages, the action ramps up: Parker finds and eliminates an assassin. That begins one major plot twist. Then we begin to enter the main plot (begun by having the phone ring while Parker is performing his assassin-removal magic). From that point on the novel reads like it belongs to the same series as the earlier one, but things have changed. There is a slower “feel” to this story.
While the pacing is still crisp and the action plentiful, there are more details and material that occurs in the story. I don’t want to use the word, nor do I think of it as “filler”. It isn’t (although I won't argue the point if someone who has read more of the series feels passionately about his.) Instead think of it as a maturation of the way we interact with Parker and his associates. The edges are a little less rough-hewn. There are occasional touches of domestication and civility.
For example, he visits his wife in the story in a very reasonable and useful way (she has gone to New York while there is till danger at home). Later on, he treats fallible characters with a degree of equanimity that I did not see in the previous book. I’m not saying that Parker trusts anyone more. Nor could it be called “compassion”. Rather, he has a certain understanding of human nature and when possible gives people an even break. When I read “The Man with the Getaway Face” I believed that Parker would have just eliminated any of these characters in order to prevent his own potential capture or death.
I will say that the book takes a long time to arrive at the actual heist. It didn't feel that wrong to me (again I only have two books to compare so far) as the intervening pages develop the second plot and characters associated with both.
While the writing and Parker’s personality have grown or evolved, he does not seem to have aged much, if at all. He had sufficient experience in the second book that he had to have been in his thirties and here he is still in excellent physical shape. Perhaps he has aged in the manner of Jack Palance or Jack LaLanne? Jack Palance could have pulled off Parker’s dark and menacing presence with ease even in his 70s. (Jack LaLanne never menaced anyone in his life that I am aware of, but he could tow freighters in a harbor by holding a rope in his teeth!) But we never know as there are no hard facts about this.
I’m not sure why I chose to read at almost the extreme ends of this series. I know how it happened, though. I got the first because of good reviews and comments about the Parker books here on goodreads. I grabbed this book on impulse from a shelf in the library (obviously not checking the date of publication). So, now I have a few questions about how, when & where he met Claire. And what capers has he been involved in over the 30-odd years that I've missed. But that’s a good thing because this book, like the other, is a quick and rewarding read. Now I have a ready-made list of things I want to read and if you like American-style crime/mystery/action books, then this series is for you, too.
As I began reading this one I thought that the author had completely worked over the concept of the character, not just “adjusted” him over the decades. After all, the book starts out in a thoroughly domestic scene: Parker is at home, on a quiet lake (in a “resort” town), with his wife. Wife? WIFE?? WIFE??? This is the man who unhesitatingly kills those who double-cross him or may be just thinking of doing so? Talk about “culture shock”.
But in the next few pages, the action ramps up: Parker finds and eliminates an assassin. That begins one major plot twist. Then we begin to enter the main plot (begun by having the phone ring while Parker is performing his assassin-removal magic). From that point on the novel reads like it belongs to the same series as the earlier one, but things have changed. There is a slower “feel” to this story.
While the pacing is still crisp and the action plentiful, there are more details and material that occurs in the story. I don’t want to use the word, nor do I think of it as “filler”. It isn’t (although I won't argue the point if someone who has read more of the series feels passionately about his.) Instead think of it as a maturation of the way we interact with Parker and his associates. The edges are a little less rough-hewn. There are occasional touches of domestication and civility.
For example, he visits his wife in the story in a very reasonable and useful way (she has gone to New York while there is till danger at home). Later on, he treats fallible characters with a degree of equanimity that I did not see in the previous book. I’m not saying that Parker trusts anyone more. Nor could it be called “compassion”. Rather, he has a certain understanding of human nature and when possible gives people an even break. When I read “The Man with the Getaway Face” I believed that Parker would have just eliminated any of these characters in order to prevent his own potential capture or death.
I will say that the book takes a long time to arrive at the actual heist. It didn't feel that wrong to me (again I only have two books to compare so far) as the intervening pages develop the second plot and characters associated with both.
While the writing and Parker’s personality have grown or evolved, he does not seem to have aged much, if at all. He had sufficient experience in the second book that he had to have been in his thirties and here he is still in excellent physical shape. Perhaps he has aged in the manner of Jack Palance or Jack LaLanne? Jack Palance could have pulled off Parker’s dark and menacing presence with ease even in his 70s. (Jack LaLanne never menaced anyone in his life that I am aware of, but he could tow freighters in a harbor by holding a rope in his teeth!) But we never know as there are no hard facts about this.
I’m not sure why I chose to read at almost the extreme ends of this series. I know how it happened, though. I got the first because of good reviews and comments about the Parker books here on goodreads. I grabbed this book on impulse from a shelf in the library (obviously not checking the date of publication). So, now I have a few questions about how, when & where he met Claire. And what capers has he been involved in over the 30-odd years that I've missed. But that’s a good thing because this book, like the other, is a quick and rewarding read. Now I have a ready-made list of things I want to read and if you like American-style crime/mystery/action books, then this series is for you, too.
July 21, 2017
"Firebreak" is the 20th of the 24 Parker novels written by Westlake disguised as Richard Stark. It brings Parker into the modern age of the internet. An internet tycoon has a collection of rare Masters hidden in a secret vault under a hunting lodge in Montana. There's some real money there if you can break through all the electronic protections.
But to get there, Parker has to contend with teams of would-be assassins, one of whom makes it into Parker's home on the lake, the one he shares with Claire. He has to contend with a partner who is a computer genius but is hellbent on getting even with those who betrayed him. And, the guys who brought him into this caper, they tried and failed and the guys who were working with them got caught and are thinking of turning State's evidence. By the time all this is resolved, the resolution of the actual caper doesn't seem so important.
It's a typical Parker novel, taut, sardonic, tough-nosed, gripping. Not the best of the lot as there's a little too much going on, but still a Parker novel and this series has no peers.
But to get there, Parker has to contend with teams of would-be assassins, one of whom makes it into Parker's home on the lake, the one he shares with Claire. He has to contend with a partner who is a computer genius but is hellbent on getting even with those who betrayed him. And, the guys who brought him into this caper, they tried and failed and the guys who were working with them got caught and are thinking of turning State's evidence. By the time all this is resolved, the resolution of the actual caper doesn't seem so important.
It's a typical Parker novel, taut, sardonic, tough-nosed, gripping. Not the best of the lot as there's a little too much going on, but still a Parker novel and this series has no peers.
April 10, 2018
I like these, I've said that before. AND this one is a good one...or " is a good one". If you've followed these by now you know Parker as well as I do. This one does not disappoint at all.
You get Parker being introduced to another job and then pulling together a crew. Also Parker is moving into the...modern(?), current(?) present(?) world. He has to bring a techie into the said crew. This requires a lot of, adaption and patience on Parker's part. It also leads to (another) job with lots of action and lots of problems.
Yeah, I like it. Recommended, enjoy.
You get Parker being introduced to another job and then pulling together a crew. Also Parker is moving into the...modern(?), current(?) present(?) world. He has to bring a techie into the said crew. This requires a lot of, adaption and patience on Parker's part. It also leads to (another) job with lots of action and lots of problems.
Yeah, I like it. Recommended, enjoy.
May 7, 2018
One of the Parker series best entries.
Highest recommendation!
This one concerns a brilliantly conceived heist delayed by a few weeks due to unknown villain or villains having hired several different hit-men to kill Parker for a perceived past transgression.
This is seriously up there with the very best Parker novels ever.
Highest recommendation!
This one concerns a brilliantly conceived heist delayed by a few weeks due to unknown villain or villains having hired several different hit-men to kill Parker for a perceived past transgression.
This is seriously up there with the very best Parker novels ever.
August 18, 2021
Parker and the Dot Com Paintings
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (May 2013) of the Mysterious Press hardcover (2001)
Richard Stark was one of the many pseudonyms of the prolific crime author Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008), who wrote over 100 books. The Stark pseudonym was used primarily for the Parker novels, an antihero criminal who is usually betrayed or ensnared in some manner and who spends each book getting revenge or escaping the circumstances.
In Firebreak, Parker is part of a heist of a dot com billionaire's secret stash of rare paintings hidden at his rural retreat. This also requires the involvement of a computer hacker to circumvent the security systems, and the hacker brings with him his own amateur complications. Meanwhile, Parker is being hunted by hitmen as a result of a revenge plan by villains still around after The Sour Lemon Score (Parker #12 - 1969) just to add to the problems.
These final Parker novels from #17 to #24 seem stronger and more complex than the original run which was probably due to Westlake/Stark's development as a writer over the years and during the 23 year hiatus. Several of these are strong 4's to 5's (I've actually read or listened to all of them now and am just parceling out the reviews over time).
Firebreak is the 4th book of 5 in a book titles arc by Richard Stark where the second syllable in each one-word title provides the first syllable of the next one as in 1) Comeback, 2) Backflash, 3) Flashfire, 4) Firebreak and 5) Breakout.
Narrator Stephen Thorne does an excellent job in all voices in this audiobook edition. The narration does not include the Foreword by Terry Teachout as included in the paperback.
I had never previously read the Stark/Parker novels but became curious when they came up in my recent reading of The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives (Sept. 2020) by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager. Here is a (perhaps surprising) excerpt from their discussion with Amor Towles:
The 24 Parker books are almost all available for free on Audible Plus, except for #21 & #22 which aren't available at all.
Other Reviews
There is an extremely detailed review and plot summary of Firebreak (with spoilers obviously) at The Westlake Review, February 7, 2017.
Trivia and Links
The Firebreak page at The Violent World of Parker website is not as complete as those for the earlier books, but does provide cover images of the different editions.
Like many of the 2010-2013 Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook editions which share the same cover art as the University of Chicago Press 2009-2011 reprints, this audiobook DOES NOT include the Foreword by author Terry Teachout.
Review of the Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook edition (May 2013) of the Mysterious Press hardcover (2001)
Richard Stark was one of the many pseudonyms of the prolific crime author Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008), who wrote over 100 books. The Stark pseudonym was used primarily for the Parker novels, an antihero criminal who is usually betrayed or ensnared in some manner and who spends each book getting revenge or escaping the circumstances.
In Firebreak, Parker is part of a heist of a dot com billionaire's secret stash of rare paintings hidden at his rural retreat. This also requires the involvement of a computer hacker to circumvent the security systems, and the hacker brings with him his own amateur complications. Meanwhile, Parker is being hunted by hitmen as a result of a revenge plan by villains still around after The Sour Lemon Score (Parker #12 - 1969) just to add to the problems.
These final Parker novels from #17 to #24 seem stronger and more complex than the original run which was probably due to Westlake/Stark's development as a writer over the years and during the 23 year hiatus. Several of these are strong 4's to 5's (I've actually read or listened to all of them now and am just parceling out the reviews over time).
Firebreak is the 4th book of 5 in a book titles arc by Richard Stark where the second syllable in each one-word title provides the first syllable of the next one as in 1) Comeback, 2) Backflash, 3) Flashfire, 4) Firebreak and 5) Breakout.
Narrator Stephen Thorne does an excellent job in all voices in this audiobook edition. The narration does not include the Foreword by Terry Teachout as included in the paperback.
I had never previously read the Stark/Parker novels but became curious when they came up in my recent reading of The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives (Sept. 2020) by Nancy Pearl & Jeff Schwager. Here is a (perhaps surprising) excerpt from their discussion with Amor Towles:
Nancy: Do you read Lee Child?
Amor: I know Lee. I had never read his books until I met him, but now I read them whenever they come out. I think some of the decisions he makes are ingenious.
Jeff: Have you read the Parker books by Donald Westlake [writing as Richard Stark]?
Amor: I think the Parker books are an extraordinary series.
Jeff: They feel like a big influence on Reacher, right down to the name. Both Reacher and Parker have a singular focus on the task in front of them.
Amor: But Parker is amoral. Reacher is just dangerous.
Jeff: Right. Reacher doesn't have a conventional morality, but he has his own morality. Parker will do anything he has to do to achieve his goal.
Amor: But to your point, Westlake's staccato style with its great twists at the end of the paragraphs, and his mesmerizing central character - these attributes are clearly shared by the Reacher books.
The 24 Parker books are almost all available for free on Audible Plus, except for #21 & #22 which aren't available at all.
Other Reviews
There is an extremely detailed review and plot summary of Firebreak (with spoilers obviously) at The Westlake Review, February 7, 2017.
Trivia and Links
The Firebreak page at The Violent World of Parker website is not as complete as those for the earlier books, but does provide cover images of the different editions.
Like many of the 2010-2013 Blackstone Audio Inc. audiobook editions which share the same cover art as the University of Chicago Press 2009-2011 reprints, this audiobook DOES NOT include the Foreword by author Terry Teachout.
December 23, 2008
A computer nerd and two professional thieves who plan to steal priceless stolen art from a secret room in a dot-com billionaire's Montana hunting lodge call Parker in on the job. He's happy to participate, but not until he's taken care of a very dangerous personal matter.
Firebreak is another great, terse, hard-boiled crime novel from Richard Stark, the nom de guerre of Donald E. Westlake, and for my money, it's the best Parker novel since the paperback-original heyday of the 1960s. (Perhaps not coincidentally, some old friends from the last Fawcett Gold Medal novel featuring Parker, The Sour Lemon Score , make an appearance.) Recommended for new fans and old fans alike, although longtime fans of the series are more likely to enjoy all the references to Parker's previous exploits.
Firebreak is another great, terse, hard-boiled crime novel from Richard Stark, the nom de guerre of Donald E. Westlake, and for my money, it's the best Parker novel since the paperback-original heyday of the 1960s. (Perhaps not coincidentally, some old friends from the last Fawcett Gold Medal novel featuring Parker, The Sour Lemon Score , make an appearance.) Recommended for new fans and old fans alike, although longtime fans of the series are more likely to enjoy all the references to Parker's previous exploits.
July 14, 2014
"When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man." Unbeatable opening sentence. I rest my case.
April 3, 2021
The Sour Lemon Score Sequel
This book is what drew me to the series. The greatest starting sentence that was ever written for a crime novel. The two guys left for dead with Saugherty's wife put a hit out on Parker. It brings back memories of the first three Parker novels.
This book is what drew me to the series. The greatest starting sentence that was ever written for a crime novel. The two guys left for dead with Saugherty's wife put a hit out on Parker. It brings back memories of the first three Parker novels.
March 30, 2019
The second half has too many plot threads, and a concentration on Lloyd that is not as interesting (to me), but the first half is solid Parker: cathartic, violent, fair, deadly. Thrillers should all be this way.
April 19, 2008
I liked it better than the English language version.
Merged review:
A quick thrill with many moving parts.
Merged review:
A quick thrill with many moving parts.
November 15, 2022
“That’s all there is, there isn’t any more.”
- Ethel Barrymore
I finished the whole thing, bring up the house lights - 24 Parker novels done and dusted. It took me about ten years.
As you can probably tell, I read the series badly out of order and ended with Firebreak. Not the strongest entry, but it’s entertaining enough and picks up speed as it goes.
I don’t usually feel what other people describe as sense of loss at a series end. Too fickle, too likely to abandon a book half way through and move on. My To Read pile is big, but my Half Read and Abandoned pile might be even bigger. With this series, I think I get it - there’ll never be another new one, not really, and something feels a bit off.
I suppose, though, since Parker himself is ageless, we can imagine him going on forever. Past Westlake and all his contemporaries, past you and me and everyone else: Parker is and always will be about 38, tough and competent, and looking for a score.
- Ethel Barrymore
I finished the whole thing, bring up the house lights - 24 Parker novels done and dusted. It took me about ten years.
As you can probably tell, I read the series badly out of order and ended with Firebreak. Not the strongest entry, but it’s entertaining enough and picks up speed as it goes.
I don’t usually feel what other people describe as sense of loss at a series end. Too fickle, too likely to abandon a book half way through and move on. My To Read pile is big, but my Half Read and Abandoned pile might be even bigger. With this series, I think I get it - there’ll never be another new one, not really, and something feels a bit off.
I suppose, though, since Parker himself is ageless, we can imagine him going on forever. Past Westlake and all his contemporaries, past you and me and everyone else: Parker is and always will be about 38, tough and competent, and looking for a score.
March 14, 2018
Another fantastic read. Parker books are phenomenal, and I miss Donald Westlake more with every page.
February 25, 2022
Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus
This one was more action packed than the last. Paybacks thwarted and heist completed.
Currently on Audible Plus
This one was more action packed than the last. Paybacks thwarted and heist completed.
December 16, 2021
RATING: 3.25
October 29, 2022
Another great instalment in the Parker series. The latest job has many complications and Parker has to deal with them all. As with most of the later novels there's a lot more different character development and so many different threats and changes and a breathless final quarter. Best opening sentence ever: "When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man."
March 2, 2017
My nomination for most hard-boiled opening sentence: "When the phone rang, Parker was in the garage, killing a man." As one does.
May 17, 2013
2 ½ stars. I kept getting distracted. My mind wandered.
There seemed to be more characters than normal in this book. Toward the end I was confused about some of them. Maybe because a lot was going on in my personal life. Or maybe the book wasn’t as good as others in the series.
There are two stories. The better story is about a hit man after Parker. It’s a continuation with Paul and Max who Parker met in Bk 12 “The Sour Lemon Score.” I loved the scene where Parker gets to them. It reminded me of feelings of fear in the movie “Jaws.”
The second story is about stealing art from a hunting lodge in Montana. An interesting part of that story was Parker interacting with a young-computer-hacker-genius. But the rest of the story about the heist was muddled. It might be better read than listened to. Not sure.
I was disappointed that the 2011 Forward by Terry Teachout was in the physical book but not in this audiobook. I’ve enjoyed all the forwards in this series.
The narrator Stephen R. Thorne was good, but I wish he had a rougher, darker, more menacing voice for Parker. His Parker voice was too clean cut and normal sounding.
THE SERIES:
This is book 20 in the 24 book series. These stories are about bad guys. They rob. They kill. They’re smart. Most don’t go to jail. Parker is the main bad guy, a brilliant strategist. He partners with different guys for different jobs in each book.
If you are new to the series, I suggest reading the first three and then choose among the rest. A few should be read in order since characters continue in a sequel fashion. Those are listed below (with my star ratings). The rest can be read as stand alones.
The first three books in order:
4 stars. The Hunter (Point Blank movie with Lee Marvin 1967) (Payback movie with Mel Gibson)
3 ½ stars. The Man with the Getaway Face (The Steel Hit)
4 stars. The Outfit.
Read these two in order:
5 stars. Slayground (Bk #14)
5 stars. Butcher’s Moon (Bk #16)
Read these four in order:
4 ½ stars. The Sour Lemon Score (Bk #12)
2 ½ stars. Firebreak (Bk #20)
(not read) Nobody Runs Forever (Bk #22)
2 ½ stars. Dirty Money (Bk #24)
Others that I gave 4 or more stars to:
The Jugger (Bk #6), The Seventh (Bk#7), The Handle (Bk #8), Deadly Edge (Bk#13), Flashfire (Bk#19)
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 6 hrs and 6 mins. Swearing language: strong words used four times. Sexual content: none. Setting: around 2001 mostly east coast and Montana. Book copyright: 2001. Genre: noir crime fiction.
There seemed to be more characters than normal in this book. Toward the end I was confused about some of them. Maybe because a lot was going on in my personal life. Or maybe the book wasn’t as good as others in the series.
There are two stories. The better story is about a hit man after Parker. It’s a continuation with Paul and Max who Parker met in Bk 12 “The Sour Lemon Score.” I loved the scene where Parker gets to them. It reminded me of feelings of fear in the movie “Jaws.”
The second story is about stealing art from a hunting lodge in Montana. An interesting part of that story was Parker interacting with a young-computer-hacker-genius. But the rest of the story about the heist was muddled. It might be better read than listened to. Not sure.
I was disappointed that the 2011 Forward by Terry Teachout was in the physical book but not in this audiobook. I’ve enjoyed all the forwards in this series.
The narrator Stephen R. Thorne was good, but I wish he had a rougher, darker, more menacing voice for Parker. His Parker voice was too clean cut and normal sounding.
THE SERIES:
This is book 20 in the 24 book series. These stories are about bad guys. They rob. They kill. They’re smart. Most don’t go to jail. Parker is the main bad guy, a brilliant strategist. He partners with different guys for different jobs in each book.
If you are new to the series, I suggest reading the first three and then choose among the rest. A few should be read in order since characters continue in a sequel fashion. Those are listed below (with my star ratings). The rest can be read as stand alones.
The first three books in order:
4 stars. The Hunter (Point Blank movie with Lee Marvin 1967) (Payback movie with Mel Gibson)
3 ½ stars. The Man with the Getaway Face (The Steel Hit)
4 stars. The Outfit.
Read these two in order:
5 stars. Slayground (Bk #14)
5 stars. Butcher’s Moon (Bk #16)
Read these four in order:
4 ½ stars. The Sour Lemon Score (Bk #12)
2 ½ stars. Firebreak (Bk #20)
(not read) Nobody Runs Forever (Bk #22)
2 ½ stars. Dirty Money (Bk #24)
Others that I gave 4 or more stars to:
The Jugger (Bk #6), The Seventh (Bk#7), The Handle (Bk #8), Deadly Edge (Bk#13), Flashfire (Bk#19)
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 6 hrs and 6 mins. Swearing language: strong words used four times. Sexual content: none. Setting: around 2001 mostly east coast and Montana. Book copyright: 2001. Genre: noir crime fiction.
August 12, 2016
This was a busy novel, with a lot of things happening, some with a déjà vu flavour. For instance: Parker goes up against organized crime (just like in The Hunter), gets involved in an art heist (just like in Plunder Squad), tries to find out who is trying to kill him (just like in - well, a whole bunch of Parker books).
Some unexpected twists, though, so that was good. Wasn't as intense - or fun - as Flashfire, but that was a tall order anyway, so that's okay. Four more books to go to finish the series. Up next: Breakout.
Some unexpected twists, though, so that was good. Wasn't as intense - or fun - as Flashfire, but that was a tall order anyway, so that's okay. Four more books to go to finish the series. Up next: Breakout.
January 3, 2014
This book starts with the protagonist, Parker, strangling a man in a garage when he gets a telephone call. That's the first line and it's a good one. Unfortunately, the rest of the book isn't as great. The writing is delightfully spare, but probably too much so. I didn't care a jot about any of the characters. Parker is a pretty cardboard crook. The plotting also leads a lot to be desired. The beginning has far too many telephone calls designed purely to maintain reader tension. There's lots of 'I've got a job for you, but I won't tell you about it until the first Friday in March when you need to stand in a telephone box facing east at which point I'll give you some more vague instructions so you can wander about for another chapter looking suspicious'. Once Parker gets hired to rob a millionaire of paintings, the plot takes off, but swiftly hits rocky ground again. Towards the end, the book switches point-of-view rapidly and gets very confusing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews