This third novel of the Sunny Randall character series finds Sunny with her usual problem. Though she is now divorced from Richie she still loves him whether she wants to admit or not. And he still feels the same about her, but has decided he wants to try to move on. He has found someone else by the name of Carrie and she could be the next Mrs. Right. But, as he points out to her in a small diner, he can’t seem to get past Sunny.
If he can’t and she can’t, where does that leave them?

That deep intellectual question is quickly shoved to the back burner as Sunny is hired to bodyguard author Melanie Joan Hall. Like Sunny, Melanie is also divorced, most recently for the third time. Unlike Sunny, she has a horrible relationship with her ex-husband Dr. John Melvin. A psychiatrist by training, he is stalking her and trying to cause her to lose control and surrender herself back to his clutches. Her agent recognizes that Melanie needs protection and hires Sunny to provide such protection while Melanie is on her book tour.

Things start out well enough and both Sunny and Melanie get along with each other and share a common perspective and background regarding men. And it becomes clear that the good doctor may pose an actual threat, not only in regards to her sanity but to Melanie’s life. Sunny decides to investigate the good doctor and eventually moves to pose undercover as one of his patients. As he escalates the stalking and Melanie begins to crack under the psychological pressure, Sunny realizes that time is running out and she may be forced to take drastic action to solve the threat.

Like most of Robert B. Parker’s novels the dialogue moves the story forward with limited action. Stereotypical shallow characters populate the novel with everything cast clearly as good or evil with no shades of gray in between. The storyline is straightforward with no twists or turns for the reader and at 289 pages an incredibly fast read. With almost no setting descriptions and chapter lengths of three to four pages there is very little weight to the work. In short, it’s the perfect book for the beach or waiting for anyone to come out of the mall this holiday season. For what is, it is his usual good stuff, but like most of his, easily forgotten when the book is closed.

Book Facts:

Shrink Rap
By Robert B. Parker
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
September 2002
ISBN # 0-399-14930-9
Hardback




Personal note: This is another entry on my part where I lend my few words in support of Books. For more details take a look at Sleeper54’s challenge at: http://www.epinions.com/content_3600982148





Recommended: Yes