Death in Paradise    by Robert B. Parker Order:  USA  Can Berkley, 2002 (2001) Hardcover, Paperback, Audio, CD Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Readers were introduced to Police Chief Jesse Stone in Night Passage and then met him again in Trouble in Paradise. This series is a step aside from Parker's Spenser novels, but the ironic wit is still there, as is the hard-hitting dialogue and fast paced story. Jesse Stone's character is complex and he manages to do some soul searching as he performs his duties. Divorced but still in love with his ex, Stone drinks too much and constantly battles the addiction that cost him his last job on the West Coast. The body of a teenage girl is found in the town of Paradise, a body no one seems to want to claim. The trail leading from the discovery of the girl to the murderer winds through the world of money and fame, as well as deception and greed. Parker has done here what he has always managed to do in his forty odd books. He has come up with a good story and told it well. The compassion he projects for his characters seems like a personal thing. As a result, the reader shares that feeling and likes the players who people this author's stories. Death in Paradise, a study of human emotions with a good mystery thrown in, is another feather in Parker's hat - a hat that by now must look like a soaring bird's wing. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews