Robert B. Parker created his popular character, Spenser, in 1974.  I came into the series much later, in my twenties, and quickly became hooked.  THE ROBERT B. PARKER COMPANION is a must-have for any Parker reader.

The book is a thorough resource that covers not only Spenser, but also Parker's other characters and his stand-alone novels.  Broken up into sections--the author's biography, interview, novel list, movie/television information, full character list, areas included in his books, memorable quotes, website links, awards and a complete bibliography of everything Mr. Parker has written or has been written about him--the information present within this handy companion is easy-to-follow, well-organized, and very thorough.

I've learned something new (it never dawned on me that the hit show Spenser: For Hire was about Spenser), remembered some of my favorite storylines, and found myself wanting to go back and start from Spenser's beginnings.  I was four when Spenser was created, so I know we have some catching up to do.