Robert Crais

I should probably be embarrassed, but I didn't realize until reading other reviews that the plot of Sunset Express, sixth in the Elvis Cole series, was a take on the O.J. Simpson case. Probably means 1) kudos to Crais for not being too obvious, and 2) I don't pay attention to celebrity drama. I remember the part about the white bronco, and about the obviousnessness of OJ's guilt, but Crais puts enough twist on the details that it wasn't initially recognizable. The role of media is show more explored.

This was easily one of the stronger stories of the series, with solid plotting, characterization that felt both real and appropriate, and an ending that dared step outside the mystery format box. Once again, the L.A. landscape and cultural enclaves come to life. For those who might be tempted to read out of order (as I did), there is a sub-arc through the series about a woman Cole meets in book 5 that continues to develop here. It brings a human touch and gives Cole moments of emotional depth beyond the smartass World's Greatest Detective. I ended up doing one of those 'just one more chapter' and staying up too late on a work night.

Update 2024: interestingly good and surprisingly gooey from a male point of view. This is quite different from the action-thriller vibe the series will eventually take. show less

Robert Crais pens another of my favorite series - the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike crime novels. The 19th entry is the newly released Racing the Light.
Elvis Cole is a private investigator in Hollywood, California. Cole's methods are sometimes unorthodox, and his manner is irreverent, but he's a dogged detective who sees every job to it's conclusion. I love his tenacity. His partner is Joe Pike, a man of few words, but lots of action. Jon Stone also has a role in this latest.

Their newest client show more is Adele, who comes to the office with no appointment and two 'minders'. Her adult son is missing and she's brought payment in cash. According to her, the cops aren't doing much, so he hears her out. She starts talking about conspiracies and he almost....almost says no. But he's intrigued.

Well, kudos to Crais for this 'absolutely no way I could have ever predicated' plot! Multilayered, intriguing and yeah - conspiratorial. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll stop there.

The case is great, but for me it's the characters that are the stars. They have personal storylines, with Elvis's taking the stage in this book. His past is back in the form of an ex-girlfriend and her son. And again - the 'I got your back' relationship between Elvis and Joe.

Crais' writing is wonderful. I can't put his books down. They're action filled and move very quickly as one clue leads to another. But there's also humor woven in - Elvis's dialogue is often not what you have expected.

Another great read from Robert Crais that I finished too quickly. I'm looking forward to Robert Crais' next book. And if you're a fan of John Sandford's Davenport and Flowers books, you need to read Robert Crais. show less

From Amazon:

P.I. Elvis Cole’s relationship with attorney Lucy Chenier is strained. Then the unthinkable happens. While Lucy is away on business and her ten-year-old son Ben is staying with Elvis, the boy vanishes without a trace. When the kidnappers call, it’s not for ransom, but for a promise to punish Cole for past sins he claims he didn't commit. With the LAPD wrestling over the case, and the boy’s estranged father attempting to take control of the investigation, Cole vows to find show more Ben first. But Cole’s partner, Joe Pike, knows more about this case than he has said. Pike lives in a world where dangerous men commit crimes beyond all reckoning. Now, one of those men is alive and well in L.A.—and calling Elvis Cole to war.

My Thoughts:

Be prepared for the darker tone we saw in the previous books. There is little for Elvis to wisecrack about; no one has brought him a case to strategically solve, instead he's vilified as the party responsible for the kidnap of Ben Chenier. Crais gives us strong dialogue and emotion, change ups in the story's point of view, some blind alleys and some down right insightful detective work. Layers of Elvis' past evolve, and, for the first time, we see Joe Pike as vulnerable and unsure. The writing is first rate, the action is nonstop, and there are many surprises...just what we have come to expect from Robert Crais. show less

Elvis Has Not Left the Building
A review of the G.P. Putnam's Sons eBook (January 14, 2025) released simultaneously with the hardcover/audiobook.

“OhmiGod. Is five okay? She said you can come at five.”
“I’ve got a Zoom with the President at five, but I’ll cancel.”
“You’re funny, but don’t be funny with my mother. She isn’t happy. When she’s unhappy she can be difficult. I’m warning you.”
“Charm. Charm is my middle name.”

I haven't always been kind to the Elvis Cole show more series (1987-2025-ongoing). As the series is now intermittent there is an added unreality to its frozen-in-time scenarios. I reviewed the previous book Racing the Light (Elvis Cole #19 - 2022) as the Same Old Elvis, while noting that some elements change with the real world but others do not, especially with the cat then being at least 35-years-old. The investigation in that book was also a bit of a letdown.

That isn't the case with The Big Empty where both the old Elvis wit and the case get off to a great start. Elvis is called in when a successful online cooking/baking influencer now has the money to hire an investigator to discover what happened to her father who disappeared 10-years-ago. The authorities abandoned the case, but clues remain and Elvis is hot on the trail. Soon he is being followed and is assaulted, requiring that partner ex-Marine Joe Pike join as backup in his usual formidable style.

Pike gave no thought to their purpose or reason. They were shadows. He wondered if they were still awake, laughing and high-fiving each other, riding a thrill-high from kicking someone’s ass. Pike saw them pumping their fists. It didn’t matter to Pike how skilled or dangerous they were, or how many their number. These men had no idea what was coming.

The Big Empty was a terrific return to form for Elvis and Joe, even if that scrawny cat is now 38-years-old! 😹🙀 show less