''A Catskill Eagle'' is the 12th Spenser

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

Robert B. Parker Robert Brown Parker (September 17, 1932 – January 18, 2010) was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. AB ...

, first published in 1985. The title comes from a quote from

Herman Melville Herman Melville (Name change, born Melvill; August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891) was an American people, American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance (literature), American Renaissance period. Among his bes ...

Plot

Spenser is a

private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. He had previously served as an infantryman in the 1st Infantry Division during

the Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

and was a

State trooper State police, provincial police or regional police are a type of sub-national territorial police force found in nations organized as federations, typically in North America, South Asia, and Oceania. These forces typically have jurisdiction ...

, which have given him the physical skills, analytical mind and moral fortitude for his profession. At the start of the book, he is separated from his erstwhile lover Sarah Silverman, who has relocated to the

West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...

in an effort to "find herself." Spenser receives a letter from Susan, explaining that his friend and associate, the gun for hire and fellow military veteran

, ''A Catskill Eagle'',

Dell Books Dell Publishing Company, Inc. is an American publisher of books, magazines and comic books, that was founded in 1921 by George T. Delacorte Jr. with $10,000 (approx. $145,000 in 2021), two employees and one magazine title, ''I Confess'', and s ...

, 1986, page 210: "Did a little Foreign Legion". Hawk, is in jail and she needs help. It soon transpires that she has begun a relationship with wealthy heir, Russell Costigan, whose father is a powerful figure in their hometown. Hawk was jailed following an altercation with Russell. Spenser flies to

San Francisco, California San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

after making preparations to break Hawk out of jail using a gun hidden in the bottom of a fake leg cast. Spenser and Hawk then have to deal with a man rich enough to do anything he wants, legal or not. Spenser and Hawk follow Russell's trail across the country in an attempt to locate Susan and reunite her with Spenser. The book climaxes with a deadly encounter deep in an underground shelter between Spenser and the Costigans.

Characters

Several characters from previous books in the series make an appearance in A Catskill Eagle. * Spenser: Boston private investigator *Hawk *Susan Silverman *Russell Costigan *Jerry Costigan *Grace Costigan *Henry Cimoli *Paul Giacomin (first seen in ''Early Autumn'') *Rachel Wallace (from '' Looking for Rachel Wallace'') *Lt. Martin Quirk, Boston PD *Sgt. Frank Belson, Boston PD *Hugh Dixon, a wealthy previous client (from '' The Judas Goat'')

References

1985 American novels Spenser (novel series) Novels set in San Francisco {{1980s-mystery-novel-stub