| Spenser | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | The Godwulf Manuscript (1973) |
| Last appearance | As written by Parker, Sixkill (2010); character is currently being written by Ace Atkins |
| Created by | Robert B. Parker |
| Portrayed by | Robert Urich Joe Mantegna Mark Wahlberg |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Private detective |
| Significant other | Susan Silverman |
| Children | Paul Giacomin (adopted son, first appears in Early Autumn) |
| Relatives | Sam Spenser (father), Cash (maternal uncle), Patrick (maternal uncle) revealed in Chasing the Bear |
| Nationality | American |
Spenser is a fictional private investigator created by the American mystery writer Robert B. Parker. He acts as the protagonist of a series of detective novels written by Parker and later continued by Ace Atkins and Mike Lupica.[1] His first appearance was in the 1973 novel The Godwulf Manuscript. He is also featured in the 1980s television series Spenser: For Hire and a related series of TV movies based on the novels. In March 2020 he was featured in the Netflix thriller film Spenser Confidential.
Spenser is only referred to by his surname in the novels, but the television series has him introduce himself as "David Spenser" to a cop sitting at the diner in the fifteenth episode of season 2. Also, Spenser is addressed as "Jim" at the end of Chapter 9 of "The Godwulf Manuscript" though this was probably a casual address by a stranger, akin to "Mac" or "Buddy."