In Pursuit of Spenser: Mystery Writers on Robert B. Parker and the Creation of an American Hero

**2013 Edgar Awards nominee in Critical/Biographical** **2013 Anthony Award nominee in Best Critical Nonfiction** Join award-winning mystery editor Otto Penzler and a first-rate lineup of mystery writers as they go in pursuit of Spenser and the man who created him, Robert B. Parker. These are the writers who knew Parker best professionally and personally, sharing memories of the man, reflections on his impact on the genre, and insights into what makes Spenser so beloved. Ace Atkins, the author chosen to take up Parker’s pen and continue the Spenser series, relates the formative impact Spenser had on him as a young man; gourmet cook Lyndsay Faye describes the pleasures of Spenser’s dinner table; Lawrence Block explains the irresistibility of Parker’s literary voice; and more. In Pursuit of Spenser pays tribute to Spenser, and Parker, with affection, humor, and a deep appreciation for what both have left behind. **Includes a reprinted piece on Spenser from Robert B. Parker Contributors: Ace Atkins Lawrence Block Reed Farrel Coleman Max Allan Collins Matthew Clemens Brendan DuBois Loren D. Estleman Lyndsay Faye Ed Gorman Parnell Hall Jeremiah Healy Dennis Lehane Gary Phillips S.J. Rozan