Wonderland marks the second Spenser novel written by Ace Atkins following the death of the character’s creator Robert B. Parker. I enjoyed Lullaby, Atkins first foray into the Boston private detective’s universe, and with Wonderland Atkins feels even more at home. The second time around Atkins chooses to give minimal time to the two most complicated relationships in Spenser’s life by not including Hawk at all and having Susan Silverman be out of town for most of the novel. The choice works well, allowing the author to spend more time on our leading man and his relationship with Zebulon Sixkill, a character introduced in Parker’s last Spenser novel.
The adventure begins, as many of these novels often do, with Spenser doing a relatively simple favor for an old friend that soon becomes far more complicated. When Henry Cimoli approaches him about a pair of toughs trying to force Henry and his neighbors out of their condos, Spenser and his new apprentice begin an investigation that will involve gambling, a land grab, an abandoned dog track, billions of dollars, and murder.
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