Voodoo River

Crais surprised me again. Not so much with the mystery as a very sweet subplot that I didn't expect in a mystery-thriller. Connections from the last book have given Elvis more referrals from the movie world, and a famous small-screen actress Jodi Taylor is looking for the parents who gave her up as an infant. The trail takes Elvis to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, giving readers a change from the familiar L.A. scene.

When Elvis landed in a small town and started getting a feel for the place, I felt like I was there with him, from the local storefront BBQ and the people lined up during lunch, to the nosy librarian to the flavorful etouffee to the endlessly flat fields of sweet potatoes. Suddenly a lot of 'podnah' started seeping in. Turns out show more Crais is from Louisiana, so he comes by it honestly.

I enjoyed characterization quite a bit in the first part of the book. There's a lot of emotional complexity to Taylor. I appreciate that it wasn't just used to set up the investigation, but continues throughout the story. The case brings Elvis into contact with a lawyer (as always), and I appreciated the way Crais developed their interaction. I thought Elvis' excitement quite sweet, nostalgically recalling such moments myself.

Once again, Crais does interesting things with the typical mystery plot, where solving one issue leads to another. This time, however, it worked less well, feeling like it veered off into a very different direction, both in plotting and in atmosphere. Joe Pike makes his usual appearance for the action. He's fast becoming a sure-fire sign that things are about to come to a head.

Three and a half stars, rounding down because in context of the books I've read, this feels a little more uneven. show less

From Amazon:

L.A. private eye Elvis Cole is hired by popular television star Jodie Taylor to delve into her past and identify the biological parents who gave her up for adoption thirty-six years before. Cole's assignment is to find out their biological history and report back.

It seems all too clear cut. But when he gets to Louisiana and begins his search, he finds that there's something much darker going on. Other people are also looking for Taylor's parents, and some are ending up dead. When Cole realizes that his employer knew more than she was telling, Voodoo River becomes a twisting tale of identity, secrets, and murder.

My Thoughts:

Robert Crais grew up in Louisiana and for the fifth installment of the series he sends Elvis Cole down show more to the Bayou State. The story takes us through the small town south of Baton Rogue, and we met a less than honorable police chief, parish officials, double dealers and a killer snapping turtle. All throughout the story, the relationship between Elvis and Lucy, a Baton Rouge attorney, begins to take shape and grow. This is the first time that a real love interest for Elvis is introduced and it gives the character another dimension. This is an immensely enjoyable read and is right up there with The Monkey's Raincoat. show less

This was the first Robert Crais book that I have read and I am definitely going to track down more by him. This book is part of a series featuring private detective Elvis Cole who is a great main character. Along the lines of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, it mixes a good detective story with a lot of humor and wit.

Private Investigator Elvis Cole’s fifth outing is reputed to be one of Crais’ best. Ostensibly about a search for the medical history of a popular TV actress who was adopted as a child, once in her home state of Louisiana Cole finds things are more complicated than expected. The process of the untangling her past brings to light other reprehensible activities permeating a small parish about an hour outside of Baton Rouge. It is the early stages of the investigation that keeps this from being a great novel. The first six chapters or so, some seventy pages, are deathly dull, saved only by Cole’s attraction to, and his person pursuit of, the female attorney with whom he is assigned to work. As adoption law and Louisiana are both show more unfamiliar territory to him, she is a necessary touchstone, and their interaction, professionally and otherwise, helps alleviate the boredom until the case takes off. But once it does, Voodoo River deserves it reputation. You will spot the mistake that ruins Cole’s plan and leads to the riveting conclusion, and unlike in previous novels, this time the mistake is not Cole’s. As usual, Cole’s laconic partner Joe Pike is on hand once backup is needed, a presences that is always welcome. All things considered, Voodoo River is well worth the trip. show less

Elvis goes to Louisiana. Another great story,this one with a budding romance, and I have a feeling this is not the last I'll read of Ms. Lucy Chenier. Would have gotten four stars except that I felt the big conclusion scene was wrapped up too succinctly, albeit with a nice small surprise (rifleman). Also, the ending was a little too open ended for my liking, although I hope it will continue into the following books. More Cole coming for me...

The plot takes a long time to develop in this, the fifth offering in the Elvis Cole/ Joe Pike series. Cole initially undertakes to find the identity of the birth parents of a TV actress who was adopted. She claims she doesn't want to meet them but just wants to learn if there are any health issues in the family history she should know about. About 100 pages into the book, when Cole has identified the birth parents, we find that the actresses' real concern is that she is being blackmailed. That's a long time to spend on the build-up to the real story.

The plot unfolds from that plot in predictable fashion. Joe Pike is called in for a bit part; apparently Joe still can't or won't talk much. Cole beds the "astonishingly sexy, beautiful" show more lawyer he is working with, develop a complicate plot to bring the three groups of bad guys down, and finally resolves the problem in a multi-sided gunfight.

The book is pretty much what we would expect. You can read that in two ways. You can conclude that it is somewhat formulaic, or that Crais delivers the entertainment that we were seeking. For the time being I somewhat favor the second interpretation, but the series and characters will have to evolve over the next few novels or I will grow bored. show less

Good mix of humor, seriousness, and sadness. Addresses some issues of adoption that most of us probably never thought about. I think Cole's humor fits in well, without going overboard. And Pike's humor, is as usual, very subtle and understated.

Also, The talk about the Louisiana cuisine made me hungry. I have some family there, and have visited a few times, but I had never even heard of boudin sausage, but it sounds really good.