Crimson Joy / Robert B. Parker
A re-read. Part of the huge Spenser series which Parker has been writing since the early 70s. In the last few years, Parker has started up a couple of new series characters, since Spenser is clearly a man of a different period and finding him an ass-kicker into his late 60s becomes less and less plausible. I have been vaguely thinking for awhile that Parker is avoiding killing Spenser off.

The Spenser novels are still good, enjoyable reads, but they haven't felt vital since the books in the mid-80s where Spenser and Susan Silverman have their relationship troubles. Those books include A Savage Place, The Widening Gyre, Ceremony, and A Catskill Eagle.

Most series characters never get a final chapter, because the authors write them for so long that they can't get out of the habit. One notable exception is Travis McGee, who at least got The Lonely Silver Rain. Not perfect, but a reasonable ending point.