Rating: 
Summary: The Best
Review: You might have to read a lot of mysteries/thrillers to find this
quality of writing. Author Crais provides depth to this story
that brings it truly into the realm of great literature.
If the seasoned mystery reader has ever wondered who would take
up where the truly greats have left, look no further. Here, the
story combines the hard-flint noir qualities of Sam Spade with the L.A. depth and sensitivity of Lew Archer; he does it with
two heros, but they work as one operative in the field, and together they have all the qualities of the best possible private detective.
Here, in this story, they start out looking for a missing woman, as a favor to an old man, but very shortly, she turns
up dead; when the police move too slowly to suit the woman's father, he goads these P.I.s to action, and their work surpasses the police, and their interest not only moves toward
finding a killer, but also annoys the police.
So there is plenty of action, with twists and counter-moves, to keep the story moving at a fast, complex pace, and the reader
will truly have difficulty putting the story down before its
conclusion.
We learn a lot about the characters, and, for a change, these
personal revelations add to the story, rather than, as usual
in books, merely adding to its length.
There are multiple conclusions, because the story is so complex,
but they are all good.
One of the best stories in print. A "can't miss" for anyone
interested in this field of writing.
Rating:
Summary: Pike Takes Center Stage
Review: "L.A. Requiem" is a tight, well-constructed novel with flashbacks that tie directly to the action. Fans of the Elvis Cole series may be surprised at the tone, but the novel is both entertaining and emotionally satisfying. Earlier books in the series have given glimpses of Joe Pike, ex-cop, more a phenomenon of natural science (Tornado? Avalanche?) than fully-fleshed character. Now Robert Crais gives Cole's sidekick center stage, complete with back-story, and the result is a fascinating, and ultimately touching read. How would a person like Pike come to be? I won't be giving anything away to note that someone so powerful and ordered must once have been helpless. Cole and Pike are incredibly appealing because Crais mixes tough street-smarts with a focused, almost naive sense of right and wrong. Early in the novel, Pike, the master of the short answer, explains that he wanted to become a cop because he "wanted to do good." I believed him and cheered. You're going to love these guys.
Rating: 
Summary: Enough for four stars
Review: The story of Elvis Cole is a page turner, and I have to confess that is the first book that I read that the guy who did everything good and has everything (girlfriend, friend and a good job) at the beginning of the book, he lost almost everything at the end, he didn't have any affair (and he could) and lost his girlfriend, save his friend and he lost him too, and when he decide to have an affair that girl die (but he didn't have a girlfriend anymore), so at the end he lost everything. Nevertheless this story is excellent.
The story of Joe Pike is a little bit long and boring, of course you have to read it to know how he is.
The part that I didn't understand was how became very good friends the father of Karen and Joe.
Rating:
Summary: Very smooth taunt thriller
Review: Crais does his homework. You can just imagine the charecters on a TV movie set in LA. Good cast of antagonists especially "Pants Krantz". Samantha Dolan's flawed charecter is very enticing and sympathetic, you almost want her to steal the hero (Elvis) from his girlfriend who is too squeaky clean and boring. Joe Pike(Hero #2) flashbacks are compelling and entertaining. Essentially you dont feel your reading a book, more like a great television movie.
Rating:
Summary: As Close to Perfect as Possible!
Review: Judging by the other reviews of LA Requiem, I won't be able to add much more but another glowing review of one of the best detective novels that I've ever read. I read this book a year or two ago and was simply blown away by it. I recently picked it up again and devoured it a second time in a few days. While I love Crais' earlier books, LA Requiem blows them all away. We still get the great lead character--Crais' Jim Rockford-like Elvis Cole--but we see a much deeper portrait of the man in this book. There is still some of the wise-cracking, but it is more subdued as Cole looks inward to a much greater extent. As has been mentioned in other reviews, the book also offers much greater insights into Joe Pike. While we're not given an in-depth bio of Pike, we are shown enough to flesh out the character further, to care about him more. He's always been Cole's foil in the past, but he's been so enigmatic that you weren't sure who he was. Now he's flesh and blood and emotions. Crais has developed him beautifully into a multi-dimensional character. This book is just wonderfully rich, from the straight mystery aspects of it to the complex relationships that Crais builds throughout. Along with Sara Paretsky, Robert Crais is one of my two favorite mystery authors. There is a real care given to their characters and it comes through in the writing.
Rating:
Summary: If this is typical, I'll have to read more Crais
Review: This is without question one of the best detective stories I have read in a long time. Actually, "listened to" might be better more accurate, and I admit that on numerous occasions I pulled into the parking lot only to sit for several minutes to hear the end of a chapter or section, not to mention walking around the house - "there goes Dad again in his own little world" - to hear more. This is my first Crais and the seventh in the series starring Elvis Cole and his mysterious and mercenary partner, Joe Pike. Pike's former girlfriend, Karen Garcia, has been shot dead while jogging - I have always maintained that jogging is hazardous, here's another reinforcement. Pike is an enigma; he speaks as little as possible, yet reeks of dangerous potential. The point-of-view shifts from the mysterious serial killer - Karen's death is merely the random fifth in a series of killings all using a bleach bottle as the silencer for the gun - to Pike's background (he had a miserable childhood, became a sensational independent soldier in Vietnam, and shot his partner while a policemen - all tidbits told in such a tantalizing way as to raise one's suspicion that he may be the killer). When a second killing occurs, much of the evidence points to Joe and he is arrested. Samantha Dolan, the Robbery-Homicide cop working on the case, falls for Elvis; that ticks off Lucy Chenier, Elvis's girlfriend and attorney, who is already very angry because Elvis's loyalties seem to be with Joe at crucial moments,rather than with her. The tension rachets up several notches, leavened by Elvis's unvoiced, hilariously sarcastic wisecracks. Excellent, hard to put down novel.
Rating:
Summary: The book I keep hoping Robert Parker will write
Review: Ever since Robert B. Parker's Spenser series started, a whole slew of imitators has developed. Tough but sensitive and moral detectives with really, really dangerous sidekicks wander through a number of author's mysteries and Robert Crais' Elvis Cole series is as good as any and better than most. In this novel, however, he breaks new ground and writes a more serious novel that is exactly the one that I keep hoping Parker will write. What is Hawk's background? Who knows? Parker is clearly never going to spend any time in Hawk's childhood so it was very gratifying to see Crais spend good quality time with Pike and do it so well. The childhood and personal history he creates here exactly fits Pike and adds to his strength and power while making him a much more interesting person and a character I want to read more about. In 2000 this book was nominated for an Edgar, it didn't win, but it certainly could have.
Rating:
Summary: Move Over Spenser and Travis McGee-Elvis Cole is on the case
Review: Although this book is the eighth in a series, it is my first Elvis Cole/Joe Pike novel and I was really wowed by these characters and a great whodunit story. Elvis Cole has to be one of the best private investigators of all time--smart, cynical but with humor, a nice guy and a real person with relationships. Joe Pike, on the other hand is literally the strong silent type--a Marine-trained killing machine with lots of forensics smarts. Together they are a great team. On this case, they are asked to find the daughter of a leading Hispanic businessman in LA... Crais must love Los Angeles because Cole has an intimate knowledge and affection for the city which he shares with readers. Great characters, great setting, lots of twists, turns and subplots and probably the best PI story I have read in a number of years--this is a MUST READ for mystery fans!!
Rating:
Summary: Something to think about LA
Review: LA is my hometown, and nothing makes me happier to read a book about LA. This book knows LA by heart and describes each place with detail. Not only is the description of LA very incisive, but it's got very good mystery and suspense folded into that thick book. If you are into mystery novels, you will like it because this book makes you think. I do have a warning though, it has explicit lyrics.
Furthermore, Crais has a very good knowledge on what detectives do, he is not another author who tries to immitate in writing out a detective novel. This author makes you read actively, making you not want to stop reading.
I really recomend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Standard crime fiction, but nothing new
Review: I bought this book because I read a reader review that compares Crais to James Ellroy. On the cover of "L.A. Requiem" is an excerpt of a review that mentions Crais alongside Hammett, Chandler, and Ross MacDonald. In a single chapter of an Ellroy novel, there is more plot and character development, eloquence, and intelligence than in this entire book by Crais. Crais may be a fine crime novelist, but Hammett, Chandler, MacDonald, and Ellroy re-define the genre, and in some cases elevate it beyond mere "reading for leisure" status generally associated with crime novels. It is unfair--and misleading--to compare Crais to any of them based on this offering. This isn't to say that "L.A. Requiem" is necessarily a bad book--Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are fine additions to the world of detective fiction. However, there's really nothing new here. In many ways, Cole and Pike are L.A. extensions of the Boston-based duo of Spenser and Hawk from Robert Parker's novels, and I think Crais-Parker is a much closer comparison, if we really must make one. If you're looking for a good, light read "L.A. Requiem" will be satisfying. If you're looking for the development of American crime fiction in the 20th Century, the four novelists listed above will serve you better (throw Mickey Spillane in there too).
|
