I'm on "Cruelest Month", the 3rd book in the Gamache series by Louise Penny. They are so intelligently written, and the character development is beyond compare.

I have picked up several Harlan Coben books over the past year or two, an read several of the stand-alone novels. However, I've not started on any of the Myron Bolitar series that I had simply because I wanted to start at the beginning. (The earliest one I had was book #3). So, the other night I finally got on Amazon and ordered #1, along with #2. Just got them yesterday. Read #1, "Deal Breaker", in one sitting (although it did take me til 1:30 in the morning), and loved it. I'm looking forward to the rest.

 

However, as I was reading it and becoming introduced to Myron and Win, I was struck by the number of similiarities between Coben's characters and two others from another author who I read a lot...Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Hawk. Don't get me wrong, there are differences too. But the more I read last night, the more times I came across situations/dialogue where I could've switched Spenser with Myron and Hawk with Win, and the scene would've still played the same and stayed true to the characters. Anybody else read both of these authors and notice this as well?

However, as I was reading it and becoming introduced to Myron and Win, I was struck by the number of similiarities between Coben's characters and two others from another author who I read a lot...Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Hawk. Don't get me wrong, there are differences too. But the more I read last night, the more times I came across situations/dialogue where I could've switched Spenser with Myron and Hawk with Win, and the scene would've still played the same and stayed true to the characters. Anybody else read both of these authors and notice this as well?

 

That was the genesis of the show "Spenser for Hire", right? I didn't read any of them, but I've seen every episode of that series. I've read every Myron Bolitar book, and I don't really see the similarity between the two pairs, but I'm also jaded by having watched the TV series and not read the books.

I have picked up several Harlan Coben books over the past year or two, an read several of the stand-alone novels. However, I've not started on any of the Myron Bolitar series that I had simply because I wanted to start at the beginning. (The earliest one I had was book #3). So, the other night I finally got on Amazon and ordered #1, along with #2. Just got them yesterday. Read #1, "Deal Breaker", in one sitting (although it did take me til 1:30 in the morning), and loved it. I'm looking forward to the rest.

 

However, as I was reading it and becoming introduced to Myron and Win, I was struck by the number of similiarities between Coben's characters and two others from another author who I read a lot...Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Hawk. Don't get me wrong, there are differences too. But the more I read last night, the more times I came across situations/dialogue where I could've switched Spenser with Myron and Hawk with Win, and the scene would've still played the same and stayed true to the characters. Anybody else read both of these authors and notice this as well?

@mcpapa has read a lot of Robert B. Parker, if I remember right. He can probably offer some insight here.

Very good. Thought provoking.