- Title: Trouble in Paradise
- wiki: link
Stone Sunday takes us north to the sleepy town of Paradise, Massachusetts and another case for Police Chief Jesse Stone. There’s a throughline of love and obsession in the second novel of the series that involves both Jesse dealing with his ex-wife relocating to the area and a group of thieves planning a heist run by career criminal Jimmy Macklin who is willing to betray just about everyone other than the woman he loves (and sometimes even her). Jimmy’s crazy plan isn’t help by his need to flirt with the police, putting him on Jesse’s radar sooner than necessary.
The crew Jimmy puts together includes the honorable if deadly Crow (who would return 10 years later in Stranger in Paradise). The novel is also notable for starting a running gag within the police department of how well Stone is doing with the ladies bedding both Abby Taylor and Marcy Campbell (whose connection with Jesse leads to danger). Jenn, much to Jesse’s displeasure (and obsession) also continues her own dating.
The first two-thirds of the book involve getting to know Jimmy and Faye, and to a lesser extent Crow and the other members of the gang he recruits, as well as catching up on Jesse settling in to his position of Police Chief. An early subplot, which plays into the privileged community Jimmy and his gang attempt to rob, involves Jesse attempting to put the screws to two teens who burn down a gay couple’s home for the fun of it. Jesse’s confrontation with the parents also plays into his relationship with Jenn who unexpectedly sticks up for him by attacking the boys’ mother after the woman threatens to use her influence to get Jesse fired.
The rest of the subplots fall to the wayside once the heist begins, featuring the group stealing from the entire private island closed off from Paradise once the crew blow the bridge. Jesse hits the island on his own and proceeds to take down Macklin (with turns out to be easier than expected with Crow, tired of Jimmy’s games with Jesse, killing no longer needed members of the crew and leaving the island with hostages who he releases unharmed). It’s a bit of a mixed victory for Jesse, but a victory nonetheless.