Flashfire

Flashfire by Richard Stark

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Parker helps a crew on a bank job and then they take off with is money. Parker goes after them like a bloodhound, gathering money and planning to take their next heist out from under them. Only the man furnish Parker with a new identity is gunned down and the killer is coming for Parker! Can Parker get his money and avoid getting dead?



Flashfire is one of the non-standard Parker books. Parker is out to steal back his money from guys who stiffed him in the first place. It feels a little like The Hunter in that regard. Parker certainly goes through the wringer in this one. Flashfire definitely showcases Parker's toughness and tenacity.



I liked Parker's relationship with Leslie Mackenzie and I really liked the interplay between Parker and the sheriff. As always, the fun came with watching Parker deal with the complications.



Any gripes? Just the same ones I have with all of the post-Butcher's Moon Parker books. For what it was, it was at least seventy pages too long. There was a lot of extraneous crap and it felt more like a Westlake book than a Richard Stark. The reason people were on Parker's trail also seemed a little weak.



While it's not my favorite Parker, it's still a worthy part of the Parker canon. An easy three stars.



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