ROBERT B. PARKER'S SHOWDOWN by Mike Lupica

In Lupica's third Spenser sequel, through Rita Fiore, our hero takes on the case of promising law student Daniel Lopez, who believes he's the unacknowledged son of ultra-divisive, ultra-popular podcaster Vic Hale.

While the premise hits hot-button issues of the moment, it recalls some predicaments Robert Parker put Spenser in precisely so he could find his way through the gray. At the same time, Lupica shows the physical price Spenser has paid over the years, making him vulnerable to younger, fresher thugs. The resolution, too, strikes me as plausibly of the moment.

As timely as it is, will Robert B. Parker's Showdown stand the test of time? It's worth judging for yourself November 25.

Thanks again to Putnam Books for the NetGalley.