Mike Lupica takes Jesse Stone on another outing in Robert B. Parker’s Fallout. Lupica is one of several authors who have taken on writing the Jesse Stone series since Robert B. Parker’s death, keeping the series alive for fans.
In the small town of Paradise, a jogger discovers a body on the rocks below a cliff. The body is identified as Jack Carlisle, star baseball player and nephew of Detective Luther “Suitcase” Simpson. The question is whether it was suicide, murder, or just what. Before any progress is made on the case, former chief of police Charlie Farrell, one of Jesse Stone’s close friends, is found murdered in his home. He had been investigating phone scammers shortly before his death.
The two deaths are investigated separately, with Stone taking the lead on the Farrell murder. However, before any progress can be made in either case, another person is found murdered on the same beach as Jack Carlisle. Just what is going on in Paradise?
A plethora of people are brought into the investigation, from Jesse’s current girlfriend, a news reporter, to his ex-girlfriend, Sunny Randall. Also making appearances are Captain Healy, formerly with the Massachusetts State Police, and Wilson “Crow” Cromartie, a possible thug who is now a friend of Jesse’s.
Molly, assistant chief of police, seems to get the ball rolling on solving Jack’s case despite stonewalling from his baseball teammates and his girlfriend, who just may have been two-timing with the first baseman. While tips from various Boston characters help the investigations move forward, it appears that local businesswoman Hillary More’s candy store is at the center of a cryptocurrency scam that links to Charlie Farrell’s death. To make it interesting, the third body is one of her employees.
Somehow all of these crimes get tied together into a satisfactory ending. Jesse Stone and his crew do their magic and solve all of the cases. This book is a fast read for Jesse Stone fans.
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