Synopsis: 'Randall being retained by a young
woman named Sarah Markham, who is convinced that her parents are
not really her parents. Markham is, by anyone's definition, a
difficult person, choosing --- at least initially --- to define her
individuality by the degree of her obnoxiousness. Randall quickly
determines, however, that all is not right in the Markham
household.

When a couple of thugs rough up Markham and warn her against
pursuing her background, Randall's reaction is to dig even deeper.
Two unexpected murders then occur. They could be merely
coincidental, yet they appear to be linked to Randall's
investigation. Randall's friend Spike is there to help, as is her
dad, with his ex-cop instincts and life experience. Richie Burke,
Randall's ex-husband, is also there to assist. Randall's personal
conundrum is that she loves Burke, but she can't live with him, or
anyone. This leads to a situation that forms the undercurrent on
which Melancholy Baby flows and is by no means resolved by the end
of the novel.' From Bookreporter.com.

Review: These books seem filled with women who don't know how to take control of their lives. The ending of this one was rather weak. ( )

First edition as new aside from price clip

Robert Parker's other detectives include Sunny Randall. Sunny is a private investigator in Boston. Her father is a retired police captain. The author has borrowed a few characters from his Spenser series. Spenser doesn't make an appearance but others do. Boston Police detective makes an appearance. Sunny goes to see a psychologist who turns out to be Spenser's long time girlfriend Susan. Sunny is hired by a young woman who believes her parents are not who they say they are. What she finds may be a surprise.
( )

Parker is the author I turn to when I want to breeze very quickly through a book without needing to engage my brain. It's sort of like comfort food, pleasing but not great nutritional value. Interesting story with lots of characters we've met in other books. No need for back stories, we already know them. But this story just doesn't engage. Kid doesn't believe her parents are really her parents and Sunny is having trouble that her ex has remarried. But when hard work is needed, she lets her mob ties solve her problem. Ho hum. Yes my expectations were low but this one went under them. Where's V.I. Warshawski when we need her? ( )

[And now this review is associated with the correct book!]


Hi, my name's Stephanie Plum Runny Sandall Sunny Randall, Boston PI, and I'm sexy and clever, like Stephanie Plum - except I really am clever, not completely clueless. In fact, I'm not much like Stephanie at all apart from we're both good looking; I have sensible (if cliched) reasons for doing the work I do, rather than getting totally out of my depth because I can't pay my bills. I'm not obviously a female-wish-fulfilment fantasy but rather a real person. My first book came out about the same time as Stephanie's but doesn't seem to have become famous, despite not being preposterous and having a realistic protagonist. Why is that? I have a series of books but not a huge one with a ridiculous gimmick about the titles. Anyway, I don't need to be famous because of my dog and my friends, one of whom is another cliche; the gay friend of the female protagonist. He's not a stereotypical gay friend of the female protagonist, though, 'cos he's a tough guy, rather than a camp or effete comic relief kinda gay friend of the female protagonist. Why aren't there any gay detectives with female lesbian friends? Or lesbian detectives with straight friends, or gay detectives with gay friends? Or...

Anyway, if you've read books from several of my creator's series you will probably notice some recurring themes and motifs; alcohol abuse, people who aren't over their divorces, fathers who care about their daughters more than their mothers do, clinical psychologists. Several of those are in this book, too. In fact my psychologist is the girlfriend of another PI from a different series of books...how weird is that?

You should read my books if you want some competent, realistic, if not exceptionally good detective fiction. ( )