Skip to main content

Robert B. Parker Continuation News

USA Today and international bestselling author Alison Gaylin yesterday tweeted this Publishers Weekly book deal news:

In a world rights deal endorsed by the Robert B. Parker estate, Ivan Held and Danielle Dietrich at G.P. Putnam’s Sons bought two books by Mike Lupica and one by Alison Gaylin for three of Parker’s series. Parker died in 2010, and the books Lupica is penning will be new installments in the Spenser series and the Jesse Stone series. Lupica is a sportswriter and was friends with Parker; he’ll be taking over the Spenser series from Ace Atkins, whose final Parker title will publish in January 2022. Gaylin (The Collective) will write a new installment in Parker’s Sunny Randall series; in doing so, she will become the first woman to take over a Parker series. Lupica was represented in the deal by Esther Newberg at ICM Partners, and Gaylin was represented by Deborah Schneider at Gelfman Schneider (which is part of ICM Partners).


Successful in several categories of crime fiction, including private eye, Gaylin is a great choice to continue Sunny Randall.

Confirming his part of the news, Ace Atkins tweeted:

Yep, it's true. I'm retiring as Spenser: For Hire after "Bye Bye Baby" is out next month. After ten books, it was high time to return to some major projects I want to tackle. I appreciate the support all these years. Raising a donut and beer to you all!


I've had the privilege of reporting on all of Atkins' Spensers, each entry standout, with bolder choices than most continuation efforts, all written while Ace established his own Quinn Colson series. I'll continue following his career with interest.

Finally, Mike Lupica's solid Randall and Stone continuations prepare him to be the third Spenser author.

Good luck to all.

Join my Matrix public chatroom Fans of Robert B. Parker.

Comments

Unknown said…
Hi there. Is there any news when the new Spenser by Mike Lupica will be published ?

Stay healthy and safe.

Regards Steve.
Gerald So said…
Hi, Steve.

There's no official word yet, but I surmise it will be published in January or May 2023. January would be one year since Ace Atkins' final Spenser, ROBERT B. PARKER'S BYE BYE BABY. May was traditionally when Spenser novels were published before the pandemic through things off.