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Summary: That Joe
Review: Love the cat with the scarred, lumpy ear. Love Joe Pike and Elvis. Wish Lucy would go back to the bayou. Having said that, I have read all of the Elvis Cole books and have not been disappointed. LA Requiem (formerly known as The Devil's Cantata) is a good book to sink your teeth into, while his previous books serve as enticing appetizers. I rank Crais up there with Chandler, Stout and John D. McDonald in his ability to make me care about the characters.
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Summary: A STUNNING NOVEL!
Review: This book turned me inside out. I finished it, then immediately read it again. It is easily the most amazing novel that I've read in years.
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Summary: Crais' best
Review: I've read them all and this is Crais' best
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Summary: The most complex Elvis Cole mystery yet.
Review: Here is a quote from the book, it is made by the head of Force Recon interested in recruiting Joe Pike for his elite squad. He is happy to hear Joe reads Basho because he considers all the best warriors were poets. You could take a poet and fill his heart with the notions of duty and honor, and sometimes, if you were very lucky, that was enough. A poet would die for a rose.That statement beautifully defines who Joe Pike and Elvis Cole are. Awesome book.
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Summary: If you like Joe Pike...
Review: This is more his story than an Elvis Cole mystery. And, consequently, there is not as much snarky humor as Crais usually injects. But it is a compelling read, that ends with a couple of serious questions. After reading all his earlier books, I was completely intrigued with Pike, and this book satisfied almost all of my curiousity about him. Enjoy...
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Summary: Very engaging...I missed Elvis and Joe once I finished it.
Review: This was my first Robert Crais book and I was completely surprised at how taken I was with his writing style. I am a fan of this genre but was not familiar with his work. I thoroughly intend to become familiar. It's always fun to discover a new author with catalog to explore!!!
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Summary: READ THE EARLIER BOOKS FIRST!!!
Review: LA Requiem is the culmination of Crais' writing. You must read the earlier books to fully appreciate 'Requiem.' You have to know Joe Pike to appreciate him in this book. I loved it. Read them all.
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Summary: Very good combination of suspense and humor.
Review: Crais' Cole/Pike dual ranks up there with Linda Fairstein's Cooper/Chapman combo. You feel for and with the characters. The pace was fast and it kept you wanting to see if you picked the right bad guy.
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Summary: GREAT GUMSHOE GUMBO
Review: I enjoyed this very much -- noir-ish, Chandler-esque and with a dash of Michael Connelly (who is one of my favorites). But Crais whips up his own unique detective stew. Even more enjoyable if you know the L.A. locales. I can feel the heat and the winding canyon roads. I have been reading page turners all summer and this ranks right up there with the best of them. I was so wrapped up in the characters that Dolan's demise really got to me. Keep up the good work Robert!!
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Summary: Cartoonish characters take away from story enjoyment
Review: This was my first taste of Robert Crais, and I must say I am disappointed. He has an engaging writing style, and the story starts well. But the characters get more and more cartoonish as the story evolves. One of the two main characters, Joe Pike, is so unrealistic I found myself laughing at the absurdity. This character wears sunglasses day and night, never smiles or shows any emotion, and speaks about two words a week. OK, quirky but not ridiculous. But he also slips in and out of anywhere and everywhere unnoticed, like the Shadow. He takes large bullets to the chest, but rises from the dead and walks off into the desert, perhaps like the Incredible Hulk. He knows super-secret but extremely deadly martial arts moves that would make Chuck Norris fearful. And, of course, like his partner Elvis, attractive women find him irresistable. Aren't readers tired of these kinds of characters? Does every hero have to be built like Hercules, shoot a large gun with perfect aim every time, laugh in the face of death, etc.? By the time the novel ended, I was kind of hoping one or both of these guys might die. One more thing -- Crais steps well beyond the line of credibility when Elvis (a private eye) rides along with the police as they search for the serial killer. The cops even allow Elvis to lead the charge a couple of times. Right.
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