Ep 167 The Seventh

In this deep dive into Donald Westlake's 'The Seventh' — the seventh Parker novel and a pivotal entry in the series — hosts Chris Funderburg and John Graves explore the book's unique structure and moral complexity. The episode opens with a gripping summary of the novel’s opening: Parker, after a flawless heist, leaves his lover Ellie’s apartment for cigarettes, only to return and find her murdered, the money stolen, and the police on his trail. What follows is a relentless unraveling of Parker’s hubris, as he makes one disastrous decision after another, driven by pride, ego, and a need to reclaim his dignity. The hosts emphasize that the book is uniquely unforgiving — unlike other Parker tales, it places full blame on Parker for every misstep, making him a tragic antihero. They contrast this with the film adaptation, 'The Split,' which they critique for its Hollywoodized casting (Jim Brown as Parker, James Whitmore as the killer), absurd plot contrivances, and tonal whiplash, especially in the gratuitous, pornographic murder of Ellie. Despite its flaws, the film is praised for preserving the core heist and some of Westlake’s sharp character work. The hosts reflect on the novel’s literary brilliance, its elegant prose, and its role as a turning point in the series — a 'second phase' where Parker must rebuild from nothing, making it one of the most compelling entries in the Parker canon.