This time out, Jesse not only continues his battle with the bottle but must also solve a case concerning a husband-and-wife team of serial killers stalking random victims for the simple thrill of it. Even off-duty, Jesse has plenty of problems, as he attempts to sort out his love life (he's got at least four revolving lovers) and to make peace with his consuming feelings for his rather insensitive ex-wife.

The smooth prose in Stone Cold is engaging and assured, emphasizing sentiment as much as hip, tough-guy violence. Parker is in excellent form here, providing keen understanding into the best and worst of the human condition, as characters struggle with their own obsessions. As in his beloved Spenser novels, Parker uses clever repartee to underscore moral conflict and the quest for righteousness.
Stone Cold demonstrates again that the bestselling author's greatest narrative skill is his ability to fully realize the nature of regret, infatuation, and love in a perilous world. Tom Piccirilli