Robert B. Parker's The Bridge (A Cole and Hitch Novel)

Almost as good as Parker. Worth reading

The bridge being built near Appaloosa is blown up before it can be completed. When the sheriff and his deputies disappear as soon as they show up to investigate, Territorial Marshalls Hitch and Cole fall into the investigation themselves. When the insurance company insists there may be fraud involved, a motive begins to make sense. Good book, full of twists and turns and personal issues.

It’s very obvious that this Cole and Hitch book was not written by Parker. A lot of the ingredients are the same but there are enough differences in Cole and Hitch as well as events to betray the change. Unfortunately the changes are not favorable.

After seeing the movie and reading the book Appaloosa I have become quite a fan of the lawmen Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch series. I just finished reading Robert B. Parker’s 370 page paperback novel, The Bridge (A Cole and Hitch novel) by Robert Knott and found it to be a compelling read.When the sheriff and deputies disappear without a trace and a bridge is blown up, Cole and Hitch begin searching for answers. This story reads like a detective novel as Marshal Cole and his deputy Hitch try to find out what is behind the missing lawmen and a blown up bridge. There is also a little bit of ghostly black magic with a beautiful mysterious woman who seduces and enchants Hitch.I never like to give away too much information when I review a novel because it spoils it for anyone who might read the book; however, if you are a fan of the Cole and Hitch western series you may want to check out this book.Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Use of the Martial Arts ring for seniors and the physically challenged).

Robert Knott describes an unique period when the wild west is developing into a civilized society in “The Bridge.” The Theatrical Extravaganza troupe represents people’s excitement and hope for civilization. However, somewhere inward of people’s mind, there exists kind of sentiment for the good old past. Which becomes a cynical comment by Hitch and a bartender, that Appaloosa has grown little to big for their liking. A new type of crime like a policy fraud is also brings into developing society from the civilized world. Hitch and Cole face unexperienced problem, but their resolution method is still in the arms of the Western. The posse part is a climax of the story.The story reminds me of The Thomas Crown Affair. Mysterious Seraphine behaves like Faye Dunaway. Was she an accomplice of a Lloyd’s investigator, or a relative of an property owner of the bridge who swears revenge to the villains. Knot makes her leave without presenting any hint to us. The second question relates to the cause of a butler’s shooting his master. Was it a judgement by the hand of God, or his own emancipation from an evil yoke. A butler might have seen so much unjustness while serving his master.Knott opines our necessity of imagining romantic things in our lives thru an actress wife. Together with this, Allie’s innocent exhilaration toward the exhibition gives a good balance to the rough story.

I am a Robert B. Parker addict. I have every story in print. I was very sad when he passed away. Robert Knott has (until now) done an excellent job of continuing the saga and keeping alive the voice of Robert B. Parker. This is the only novel of his I would not have rated Great, and, to be brutally honest, only because of the dramatic increase of cursing by the characters over earlier books. I know next to nothing about the cowboys and town folk in the time of Cole and Hitch, but I do know a fair amount about them in the 50's and 60's in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado, and they didn't swear all that much, and when they did it was pretty mild and not GD this and GD that and three or five GD's on a page. Soldiers and construction, yes, but the punchers and ranchers, and even the rodeo crowd tended to be circumspect and controlled in their speech, especially around women. I found the amount of cursing to be distracting. (But the story is still great)

Based on Reviews, I thought I was buying into a great series; but I was sadly mistaken. I’ve read better Westerns that were free. The main characters are flat as a pancake. The plot left a lot to be desired, and the scene settings were barely there. I would look elsewhere for your next read.

Love these guys

Like the rest of the series, an excellent read

I like Cole and Hitch but the story line in this book was too unlikely and didn't feel like Parker.

I love the Cole and hitch western series,just a shame only the first three are avalible on kindle.

A poor substitute for the writing talent that was Robert Parker

very happy with the book.