The Score
(Also published as Killtown)

When the bellboy left, Parker went over to the house phone and made his call.  He gave the operator downstairs the number he wanted, and waited while the phone clicked and ticked and snicked in his ear.  He was feeling impatient, and he was about to go downstairs and put in the call from a pay phone when all the clicking finally quit and a ringing sound started instead.

While The Score may start out quietly, with a phone call, it certainly doesn't stay that way.  Parker joins a group of twelve in order to run a heist on an entire town in North Dakota.  Needless to say, things go very wrong.

The Score is a break from the "get-the-money, lose-the-money, get-the-money-back" formula of the previous books.  It's an absolutely terrific story and would make a great action movie (Bruce Willis as Parker?).   It has been filmed; unfortunately, Mise à Sac is not available in America in any form to my knowledge.  If you can help me track it down, please do!

The Score marks the debut of Alan Grofield, who would eventually get his own series.

AVAILABILITY: The Parker Omnibus Volume 2 contains The Seventh (as The Split), The Score, and The Handle (in typical Parker reprint fashion, out of order).  Unfortunately for many of us, it's a UK only edition.  How do you get it in the States?  I would suggest talking to independent specialty bookstores if there are any in your area...they are frequently experts at getting overseas printings.   You might also try Amazon.co.uk or another overseas online bookdealer.  Warning: A fellow reader has told me that this book contains dozens of typos and is frustrating to read.

To The Mourner, the fourth book in the Parker series

To The Jugger, the sixth book in the Parker series

Additional cover images of The Score

To Mise à Sac, the movie based on The Score

Back to The Violent World of Parker