Charlie Parker is a lost soul. Deprived of his private investigator's license and under scrutiny by the police, Parker takes a job in a Portland bar. But he uses his enforced retirement to begin a different kind of investigation: an examination of his own past and an inquiry into the death of his father, who took his own life after apparently shooting dead two unarmed teenagers. It's a search that will eventually lead Parker to question all that he believed about his beloved parents, and about himself.
But there are other forces at work: a troubled young woman who is running from an unseen threat, one that has already taken the life of her boyfriend; and a journalist-turned-writer named Mickey Wallace, who is conducting an investigation of his own. And haunting the shadows, as they have done throughout Parker's life, are two figures: a man and a woman who seem driven to bring an end to Charlie Parker's existence.
Haunting, lyrical, and impossible to put down, The Lovers is John Connolly at his best.
Reader discussions
What did you think of this book? Start the conversation.
No account required to participate.
Start a discussionThe series
The Charlie Parker series is a haunting journey into the shadows, where the line between the living and the dead often blurs. At its heart is Charlie Parker, a troubled private investigator whose personal tragedy shapes his relentless pursuit of justice in a world steeped in darkness. Connolly's blending of crime, supernatural elements, and psychological suspense creates a unique atmosphere that lingers long after the page is turned.
Read full series description
Each installment in this series builds upon Parker’s complex character—driven by loss, haunted by ghosts both literal and metaphorical, and relentlessly seeking redemption in a world that constantly threatens to consume him. As he uncovers grisly crimes and confronts unspeakable evils, Parker finds himself in a constant battle between what is real and what lies beyond the veil of the living.
The series is notable for its deeply atmospheric storytelling, where New York’s gritty streets meet the eerie unknown, and ordinary crimes spiral into extraordinary, often supernatural mysteries. Connolly’s knack for blending hardboiled detective fiction with the mystical makes every book in the series a thrilling ride into psychological horror.
As the series evolves, Parker’s relationships with allies and enemies grow ever more complex, offering readers a constant push-pull between the search for truth and the chaos of his own fractured mind. Through it all, Connolly examines themes of grief, redemption, and the human condition, all while delivering some of the most pulse-pounding, thought-provoking mysteries in modern crime fiction.
For those who crave a detective story with both the grit of noir and the mystery of the supernatural, Charlie Parker offers a chilling, unforgettable experience—one where every answer only leads to more questions, and no one can escape the darkness that lurks just beneath the surface.
#1 · 1999Every Dead Thing 
#2 · 2000Dark Hollow 
#3 · 2001The Killing Kind 
#4 · 2002The White Road 
#5 · 2005The Black Angel 
#6 · 2007The Unquiet 
#7 · 2008The Reapers 
#8 · 2009The Lovers 
#9 · 2010The Whisperers 
#10 · 2011The Burning Soul 
#11 · 2012The Wrath of Angels 
#12 · 2014The Wolf in Winter 
#13 · 2015A Song of Shadows 
#22 · 2025The Children of Eve 
#23 · 2026A River Red with Blood 
#24 · 2027Charlie Parker Book 24 Be the first reviewer
Sign in and write the first reader review.
