The Boxer and the Spy by Robert B. Parker

From the Publisher

Another teen thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of the Spenser mysteries.

When a shy high school student's body is found washed up on the shore of a quiet New England beach town—an apparent suicide—fifteen-year-old Terry Novak doesn't know what to think. Something just doesn't add up, so he decides to do some investigating of his own with the help of his best friend, Abby. It doesn't take long before they learn that asking questions puts them in grave danger, and surviving is going to be a fight. Fortunately, Terry has been learning a thing or two about fighting, thanks to a retired boxer named George, who teaches the boy to use his head and always keep his feet set beneath him—lessons Terry takes to heart in more ways than one. He will need to.

Robert B. Parker, New York Times bestselling author of the Spenser novels, delivers a taut, empowering mystery for young readers.

KLIATT

In his second novel for YAs (following Edenville Owls), popular mystery writer Parker scores a hit. When a high school boy's body washes up on a New England beach, the death is called a suicide and tied to steroid use. But 15-year-old Terry has his doubts, and he and his clever friend Abby start to investigate on their own. As they uncover secrets about some of the important people in town, their own lives are threatened, and Terry's boxing skills come in handy. Suspense and snappy dialog will keep readers turning the pages, while a budding if coy romance between Terry and Abby offers further interest. The two don't sound much like any 15-year-olds of my acquaintance ("I just know that you and I are about more than just fun," Abby says to Terry at one point)—in fact, they sound a lot like Parker's adult series hero Spenser and his girlfriend Susan—but it's still entertaining to read. This engaging mystery will win Parker more fans, and he may have found worthy new series heroes in Terry and Abby. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick

School Library Journal

Gr 9-11- Parker makes his second foray into YA literature with this tale of a 15-year-old aspiring boxer trying to solve the murder of one of his classmates, deemed a suicide by the authorities. As in his adult "Spenser" books, the question is not so much who committed the crime as how the protagonist will catch him (it is apparent pretty early on who the bad guys are). Terry Novak battles a group of powerful, evil individuals with only his wits, toughness, and a few loyal friends to help him. He has a personal code that requires him to avenge wrongdoing against innocents and will use violence only when forced to. In many ways it is Terry himself rather than the solving of the crime that is the main focus of the novel: haltingly, and often inarticulately, he begins to explore what it means to live honorably, with moral purpose. In this he is aided by George, the wise, elderly black man who is teaching him to fight, and by Abby, the sassy beauty whom Terry hopes to make his girlfriend. As in any Parker novel, the dialogue is delightful. Character is revealed in a word, a phrase, or sometimes even a gesture. (Has any writer ever conveyed more meaning through a shrug?) While some may object that the fight scenes are a little too graphic or the resolution a little too neat, few could question either the quality of the writing or the book's undeniable appeal to teen readers.-Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT

Kirkus Reviews

This conventional mystery from the prolific adult author features standard villains with some spice thrown in by the boxing leitmotif. Despite an official conclusion of suicide, 15-year-old Terry remains sure that his shy friend Jason did not kill himself. Determined to uncover the real reason Jason died, he gets help from his almost-girlfriend Abby, who sets up a network of friends to spy on the typically arrogant adults who run the town and the school. Threatened by school bullies, Terry relies on his newfound boxing skills and his wise trainer George to get out of scrapes. The resolution relies on confessions, but one nice twist regarding a villain adds some interest at the end. Not much new here, but Parker provides some nice action scenes and whodunit clues. High-school intrigue written simply enough to satisfy budding mystery fans in the middle-school crowd as well. (Fiction. 10-16)

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