The familiar cast of regulars in a Spenser novel is presented credibly in Hush Money, but there are some variations on the usual formulas. Lieutenant Quirk of Boston Homicide scarcely appears at all, but Sergeant Frank Belson has an important moment when he allows Spenser to photocopy the confidential files of the investigation of Prentiss Lament's murder. Henry Cimoli and his health club also make a minor appearance.

More important, new and unexpected features of Hawk's past emerge. It is Hawk who brings Spenser into the investigation of Robinson Nevins' tenure situation because Robinson Nevins' father is revealed to have been Hawk's mentor in boxing and a kind of surrogate father to Hawk.

Hawk also has a personal involvement through a brief former association with AmirAbdullah: as Hawk's freshman English instructor, Amir had impressed Hawk with a grasp of language and social issues, but had also disillusioned Hawk...