Books like Playmates by Robert B. Parker
In this compact mystery, Spenser, the tough Boston private eye, dives into the gritty arena of college hoops to uncover a scandal involving a leading forward who may be shaving points. His investigation blends sharp wit, keen observation, and a touch of Boston flair as he navigates the underbelly of sports betting and collegiate athletics.
First publish date: 1989
Genre: Mystery & Detective/Private Investigator
Authors: Robert B. Parker
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Books similar to Playmates (27 similar books)
Spenser races to recover a stolen manuscript in Boston while a dead student leaves a single clue that upends the police inquiry.
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Spenser is hired as a bodyguard for a young woman, only to find himself caught in a dangerous mystery that pulls him deep into Boston's underbelly.
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When Henry Cimoli commissions Spenser to protect his Revere Beach condo, the pair must outwit a ruthless developer and a Vegas kingpin before a sprawling casino threatens Boston’s northern shore.
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Private Investigator Mattie Sullivan uncovers the truth about her murdered mother in Boston's gritty South Side neighborhood while trying to find closure and peace for her siblings and grandmother.
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Private investigator Spenser is hired to trace the murder of a Beacon Hill wife, uncovering Boston scandals that may keep the victim’s corpse alive.
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Private investigator Spenser is hired to dig into mysterious incidents in Georgia’s horse-racing circles, only to return after his first client is murdered.
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Spenser investigates the possible murder of Melissa Henderson, a college student, as his former clients suspect a frame-up and hire him to uncover the truth.
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When New England Patriots linebacker Kinjo Heywood’s son is kidnapped, his agent enlists Spenser to uncover the men behind the abduction, enlisting the help of private investigators Hawk and Zebulon Sixkill to rescue the child.
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Spenser is hired by a Boston lawyer to stop a blackmailer who is threatening wealthy wives; when the victims begin dying, the case turns into a deadly investigation involving rich husbands and hidden motives.
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When Red Sox pitcher Marty Rabbs is shrouded in mystery and his wife Linda faces an unseen blackmailer, detective Spenser races to uncover a dangerous conspiracy that pits baseball’s drama against deadly threats.
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Spenser, the grizzled Boston private investigator, snaps into the gritty world of a cabaret’s battered clientele when a gorgeous, unhinged prostitute named April Kyle claims she is lost and desperate for help.
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A tough case brings Spenser into Boston’s underbelly as he hunts a runaway teenage girl who has slipped into prostitution, blending detective grit with the city’s gritty reality.
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Spenser is hired to investigate a theater board suspect, only to find himself in a dangerous murder case that spans municipal corruption, secret relationships, and international intrigue.
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When Lisa St. Claire vanishes, a Boston police detective enlists hard‑boiled PI Spenser to uncover her disappearance, tracing clues from a New England college campus to Los Angeles sports clubs and a crumbling tenement in a Massachusetts mill town.
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Editor C.B. Greenfield and reporter Maggie Rome investigate a murder that takes place during a nuclear protest camp.
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In Hollywood, hard‑boiled detective Spenser protects TV reporter Candy Sloan as they hunt a killer, blending the streets of Los Angeles with his trademark gumshoe grit.
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A vicious serial killer terrorizes Boston, leaving a red rose for Spenser’s partner Susan Silverman. Spenser and his ally Hawk must bring the murderer to justice.
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In Boston’s gritty neighborhoods, Private Investigator Spenser partners with contract killer Hawk to hunt down the killers in a deadly gang‑drug showdown.
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Spenser takes on a tangled case of alleged sexual harassment that spirals into murder, charity fraud, and a dangerous mob network.
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A hard‑boiled Boston detective, Spenser, faces a new case that forces him to rescue a friend and protect a woman he loves, all while navigating the gritty streets of Massachusetts.
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