Promised LandPromised Land
Score Classic
What it's about
Boston private eye Spenser is hired by Harvey Shepard, out on Cape Cod, whose wife has left him, and who is in deep with a loan shark over a real estate deal. When the wife turns up as a suspect in a murder, Spenser has to save them both, with the mob giving Harvey twenty-four hours.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Edgar Award for Best Novel. Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels are classics of American detective fiction.
You'll love it if you liked
The Big Sleep
L.A. Requiem
The Long GoodbyeGood to know
It's an early Spenser novel and stands alone.
By the numbers
- Readers45 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics49 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller2 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #286 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #497 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1725 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping
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Quick answers
Is Promised Land worth reading?
Yes. It won the Edgar Award for Best Novel. It ranks #1,725 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Promised Land about?
Boston private eye Spenser is hired by Harvey Shepard, out on Cape Cod, whose wife has left him, and who is in deep with a loan shark over a real estate deal. When the wife turns up as a suspect in a murder, Spenser has to save them both, with the mob giving Harvey twenty-four hours.
How long does it take to read Promised Land?
About 6 hours (246 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Promised Land won?
Edgar Award winner (1977).
What should I read after Promised Land?
If you liked it, try The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, L.A. Requiem by Robert Crais or The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler.