ROBERT B. PARKER R.I.P.

A nice tribute from Craig Sisterson, (the NZ authority on crime fiction), on his Crime Watch blog.

And another in the Christian Science Monitor.

Robert B Parker has long been acknowledged as the dean of American crime fiction. His crime novels featuring wise-cracking private-eye Spenser have earned him a devoted following and critical acclaim. while his standalone novels continue to hit the American bestseller lists on publication. At the 2002 Edgar Awards, Parker was named Grand Master of Crime Fiction, an honour shared with Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen. He was 77.

The large world community of crime fiction buffs, include The Bookman among them, is in mourning.