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Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2012)When Nita Morales hires Elvis Cole to find her missing adult daughter, she isn’t afraid, even though she’s gotten a phone call asking for ransom. She knows it’s a fake, that her daughter is off with the guy Nita will only call "that boy," and that they need money: "Even smart girls do stupid things when they think a boy loves them."
But Nita is wrong. The girl and her boyfriend have been taken by bajadores – bandits who prey on other bandits, border professionals who prey not only on innocent victims, but on each other. They steal drugs, guns, and people – buying and selling victims like commodities, and killing the ones they can’t get a price for.
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike find the spot where they were taken. There are tire tracks, bullet casings, and bloodstains. They know things look as bad as possible. But they are wrong, too. It is about to get worse. Going undercover to find the two young people and buy them back, Cole himself is taken, and now it is up to Joe Pike to retrace Cole’s steps, burning through the hard and murderous world of human traffickers to find his friend.
But he may already be too late..
But Nita is wrong. The girl and her boyfriend have been taken by bajadores – bandits who prey on other bandits, border professionals who prey not only on innocent victims, but on each other. They steal drugs, guns, and people – buying and selling victims like commodities, and killing the ones they can’t get a price for.
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike find the spot where they were taken. There are tire tracks, bullet casings, and bloodstains. They know things look as bad as possible. But they are wrong, too. It is about to get worse. Going undercover to find the two young people and buy them back, Cole himself is taken, and now it is up to Joe Pike to retrace Cole’s steps, burning through the hard and murderous world of human traffickers to find his friend.
But he may already be too late..
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 24, 2012
1348 people are currently reading
4553 people want to read
About the author
Robert Crais
179 books4,555 followers Robert Crais is the author of the best-selling Elvis Cole novels. A native of Louisiana, he grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River in a blue collar family of oil refinery workers and police officers. He purchased a secondhand paperback of Raymond Chandler’s The Little Sister when he was fifteen, which inspired his lifelong love of writing, Los Angeles, and the literature of crime fiction. Other literary influences include Dashiell Hammett, Ernest Hemingway, Robert B. Parker, and John Steinbeck.
After years of amateur film-making and writing short fiction, he journeyed to Hollywood in 1976 where he quickly found work writing scripts for such major television series as Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, and Miami Vice, as well as numerous series pilots and Movies-of-the-Week for the major networks. He received an Emmy nomination for his work on Hill Street Blues, but is most proud of his 4-hour NBC miniseries, Cross of Fire, which the New York Times declared: "A searing and powerful documentation of the Ku Klux Klan’s rise to national prominence in the 20s."
In the mid-eighties, feeling constrained by the collaborative working requirements of Hollywood, Crais resigned from a lucrative position as a contract writer and television producer in order to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a novelist. His first efforts proved unsuccessful, but upon the death of his father in 1985, Crais was inspired to create Elvis Cole, using elements of his own life as the basis of the story. The resulting novel, The Monkey’s Raincoat, won the Anthony and Macavity Awards and was nominated for the Edgar Award. It has since been selected as one of the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.
Crais conceived of the novel as a stand-alone, but realized that—in Elvis Cole—he had created an ideal and powerful character through which to comment upon his life and times. (See the WORKS section for additional titles.) Elvis Cole’s readership and fan base grew with each new book, then skyrocketed in 1999 upon the publication of L. A. Requiem, which was a New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller and forever changed the way Crais conceived of and structured his novels. In this new way of telling his stories, Crais combined the classic ‘first person’ narrative of the American detective novel with flashbacks, multiple story lines, multiple points-of-view, and literary elements to better illuminate his themes. Larger and deeper in scope, Publishers Weekly wrote of L. A. Requiem, "Crais has stretched himself the way another Southern California writer—Ross Macdonald—always tried to do, to write a mystery novel with a solid literary base." Booklist added, "This is an extraordinary crime novel that should not be pigeonholed by genre. The best books always land outside preset boundaries. A wonderful experience."
Crais followed with his first non-series novel, Demolition Angel, which was published in 2000 and featured former Los Angeles Police Department Bomb Technician Carol Starkey. Starkey has since become a leading character in the Elvis Cole series. In 2001, Crais published his second non-series novel, Hostage, which was named a Notable Book of the Year by the New York Times and was a world-wide bestseller. Additionally, the editors of Amazon.com selected Hostage as the #1 thriller of the year. A film adaptation of Hostage was released in 2005, starring Bruce Willis as ex-LAPD SWAT negotiator Jeff Talley.
Elvis Cole returned in 2003 with the publication of The Last Detective, followed by the tenth Elvis Cole novel, The Forgotten Man, in 2005. Both novels explore with increasing depth the natures and characters of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. RC’s third stand-alone novel, The Two Minute Rule, was published in 2006. The eleventh entry in the Elvis Cole series, The Watchman, will be published sometime in 2007.
After years of amateur film-making and writing short fiction, he journeyed to Hollywood in 1976 where he quickly found work writing scripts for such major television series as Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, and Miami Vice, as well as numerous series pilots and Movies-of-the-Week for the major networks. He received an Emmy nomination for his work on Hill Street Blues, but is most proud of his 4-hour NBC miniseries, Cross of Fire, which the New York Times declared: "A searing and powerful documentation of the Ku Klux Klan’s rise to national prominence in the 20s."
In the mid-eighties, feeling constrained by the collaborative working requirements of Hollywood, Crais resigned from a lucrative position as a contract writer and television producer in order to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a novelist. His first efforts proved unsuccessful, but upon the death of his father in 1985, Crais was inspired to create Elvis Cole, using elements of his own life as the basis of the story. The resulting novel, The Monkey’s Raincoat, won the Anthony and Macavity Awards and was nominated for the Edgar Award. It has since been selected as one of the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.
Crais conceived of the novel as a stand-alone, but realized that—in Elvis Cole—he had created an ideal and powerful character through which to comment upon his life and times. (See the WORKS section for additional titles.) Elvis Cole’s readership and fan base grew with each new book, then skyrocketed in 1999 upon the publication of L. A. Requiem, which was a New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller and forever changed the way Crais conceived of and structured his novels. In this new way of telling his stories, Crais combined the classic ‘first person’ narrative of the American detective novel with flashbacks, multiple story lines, multiple points-of-view, and literary elements to better illuminate his themes. Larger and deeper in scope, Publishers Weekly wrote of L. A. Requiem, "Crais has stretched himself the way another Southern California writer—Ross Macdonald—always tried to do, to write a mystery novel with a solid literary base." Booklist added, "This is an extraordinary crime novel that should not be pigeonholed by genre. The best books always land outside preset boundaries. A wonderful experience."
Crais followed with his first non-series novel, Demolition Angel, which was published in 2000 and featured former Los Angeles Police Department Bomb Technician Carol Starkey. Starkey has since become a leading character in the Elvis Cole series. In 2001, Crais published his second non-series novel, Hostage, which was named a Notable Book of the Year by the New York Times and was a world-wide bestseller. Additionally, the editors of Amazon.com selected Hostage as the #1 thriller of the year. A film adaptation of Hostage was released in 2005, starring Bruce Willis as ex-LAPD SWAT negotiator Jeff Talley.
Elvis Cole returned in 2003 with the publication of The Last Detective, followed by the tenth Elvis Cole novel, The Forgotten Man, in 2005. Both novels explore with increasing depth the natures and characters of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. RC’s third stand-alone novel, The Two Minute Rule, was published in 2006. The eleventh entry in the Elvis Cole series, The Watchman, will be published sometime in 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,209 reviews
June 10, 2018
I’ll say it right off the top: I hate kidnapping plots. When I realized this was centered on a kidnapping (that’s not a spoiler; it’s clear from both the title and chapter one), I almost skipped it. However, I am sadly at the end of the Elvis Cole series, with only this and the latest book, Wanted, remaining. I decided to trust Crais, who hasn’t really let me down since book three, and was glad I did.
Taken has a fast moving plot that begins when a college-age couple is partying with friends in the desert and run into a frightening situation. It is quickly followed by a scene with Joe Pike and Jon Stone. What seemed fairly straightforward on the surface ends up being very complex behind the scenes, and leads to complications for the rescue.
The story goes back and forth between different timelines, signalling what is going on with chapter headings like “Five days before XX is taken’ so the reader can keep track. Crais also switches narrative viewpoints between the young adults, Pike, Stone and Elvis, and one additional character, along with a brief viewpoint from a kidnapper.
Overall the narrative lacks a sense of cohesiveness. The timeline changes end up being somewhat disruptive, and instead of building tension, actually somewhat diffuse it. I’m okay with that, honestly, but it’s worth noting for those who like the sense of increasing danger, although the outcome is never seriously in doubt. Like ’80s action movies, Good will Always Triumph Against Evil (none of this modern ambivalent heroes or endings, thank you very much). Along those lines, I also appreciated that Crais didn’t linger overmuch on potential/torture issues with our missing people.
There was one moment of really solid writing that sticks in my mind, but I already sent the book back to the library, so unfortunately, I’m unable to share. It’s one of the things that sets Crais above the average thriller/serial mystery writer, but it’s in shorter supply here than in his mid-series books. He notes in the acknowledgements that this one was harder to write, and I think it shows. Overall, a solid installment but definitely not one of his best.
Taken has a fast moving plot that begins when a college-age couple is partying with friends in the desert and run into a frightening situation. It is quickly followed by a scene with Joe Pike and Jon Stone. What seemed fairly straightforward on the surface ends up being very complex behind the scenes, and leads to complications for the rescue.
The story goes back and forth between different timelines, signalling what is going on with chapter headings like “Five days before XX is taken’ so the reader can keep track. Crais also switches narrative viewpoints between the young adults, Pike, Stone and Elvis, and one additional character, along with a brief viewpoint from a kidnapper.
Overall the narrative lacks a sense of cohesiveness. The timeline changes end up being somewhat disruptive, and instead of building tension, actually somewhat diffuse it. I’m okay with that, honestly, but it’s worth noting for those who like the sense of increasing danger, although the outcome is never seriously in doubt. Like ’80s action movies, Good will Always Triumph Against Evil (none of this modern ambivalent heroes or endings, thank you very much). Along those lines, I also appreciated that Crais didn’t linger overmuch on potential/torture issues with our missing people.
There was one moment of really solid writing that sticks in my mind, but I already sent the book back to the library, so unfortunately, I’m unable to share. It’s one of the things that sets Crais above the average thriller/serial mystery writer, but it’s in shorter supply here than in his mid-series books. He notes in the acknowledgements that this one was harder to write, and I think it shows. Overall, a solid installment but definitely not one of his best.
September 26, 2022
Krista Morales and Jack Berman are young and in love. After meeting a group of friends one night out in the California desert, Krista and Jack remain behind when everyone else leaves. Even the most casual reader will understand that this is a huge mistake.
A few days later, Krista's mother, Nita, retains Elvis Cole, the World's Greatest Detective, to find her daughter. Nita assumes that Krista, an honor student who is about to graduate from college, is simply dallying with a boyfriend that Nita does not approve of. But Nita, a successful business woman, has also received a couple of strange phone calls from Krista, claiming that she has been kidnapped and asking for a ransom of $500.00.
Nita thinks that the calls are a joke, especially given the amount of the desired ransom. But Elvis isn't so sure. He investigates the spot from which Krista and Jack disappeared and discovers evidence suggesting that the two have, in fact, been kidnapped by bajadores. The bajadores are bad-ass bandits who rip off other criminals who smuggle drugs and illegal immigrants into the U.S. from Mexico. Their standard M.O. is to bleed the families of the immigrants they seize until the families can pay no more. At that point, the bajadores kill their victims and dump the bodies in the desert so that there are no witnesses left to identify them.
Elvis recruits his best friend and partner, Joe Pike, to assist in the investigation. But then, after attempting to infiltrate the bad guys, Elvis disappears. Anyone who has read an Elvis/Joe Pike novel will understand that Pike is going to be enormously upset about this and that this is going to be very bad news for the outlaws who might have taken his friend.
This is a furiously fast-paced thriller that should delight the fans of Robert Crais, Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. Crais cuts back and forth in time and place, watching Elvis search for Krista and Pike searching for Cole, leaving the reader with scarcely any time to catch his or her breath. All in all, it's an excellent addition to the series.
A few days later, Krista's mother, Nita, retains Elvis Cole, the World's Greatest Detective, to find her daughter. Nita assumes that Krista, an honor student who is about to graduate from college, is simply dallying with a boyfriend that Nita does not approve of. But Nita, a successful business woman, has also received a couple of strange phone calls from Krista, claiming that she has been kidnapped and asking for a ransom of $500.00.
Nita thinks that the calls are a joke, especially given the amount of the desired ransom. But Elvis isn't so sure. He investigates the spot from which Krista and Jack disappeared and discovers evidence suggesting that the two have, in fact, been kidnapped by bajadores. The bajadores are bad-ass bandits who rip off other criminals who smuggle drugs and illegal immigrants into the U.S. from Mexico. Their standard M.O. is to bleed the families of the immigrants they seize until the families can pay no more. At that point, the bajadores kill their victims and dump the bodies in the desert so that there are no witnesses left to identify them.
Elvis recruits his best friend and partner, Joe Pike, to assist in the investigation. But then, after attempting to infiltrate the bad guys, Elvis disappears. Anyone who has read an Elvis/Joe Pike novel will understand that Pike is going to be enormously upset about this and that this is going to be very bad news for the outlaws who might have taken his friend.
This is a furiously fast-paced thriller that should delight the fans of Robert Crais, Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. Crais cuts back and forth in time and place, watching Elvis search for Krista and Pike searching for Cole, leaving the reader with scarcely any time to catch his or her breath. All in all, it's an excellent addition to the series.
February 18, 2019
If I ever get kidnapped I want Joe Pike looking for me.
Private detective Elvis Cole gets hired to find a young woman because she dropped out of sight for a few days. The mother suspects that her daughter is with a boyfriend that she disapproves of, and that this is a case of college aged kids just off having some irresponsible fun. However, Elvis quickly figures out that the couple were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and were swept up as part of scheme in which illegal immigrants crossing into the US are kidnapped and held for whatever ransom their loved ones can scrape together. Cole enlists the help of his partner Joe Pike and has a plan to locate the missing kids, but things go sideways and Cole ends up being held, too. With the help of a fellow mercenary Pike begins a methodical hunt for his friend.
This one has all the hallmarks of your typical Cole & Pike novel. Elvis runs around doing some clever detective work while Pike shows up at opportune moments to unleash hell, and Crais has mastered using that formula with these characters to deliver exciting crime/action novels. Unfortunately, I think Crais fell into a trap of his own making here that hurts the story.
It’s clear from the title and book jacket summary that Elvis is going to get kidnapped and that Pike will have to find him. I saw Crais in an interview at Bouchercon back in 2011 in which he mentioned that the book he was writing at that time involved Elvis being taken and Pike getting him back. So that’s obviously the hook he started with and built the novel around. It’s a good idea for a story so I understand why Crais committed to it early on.
However, to really do that idea then Elvis should probably get snatched by the end of the first act, and that means that rest of the story would be on Pike’s shoulders with Elvis being a supporting player. Crais has done that before in a couple of Pike-centric book so it shouldn’t be a problem, but for some reason he wanted Elvis to be a big part of this one doing his usual detective thing. So to keep the core idea of Elvis being kidnapped in place while still making him an active figure in the plot Crais structured the book so that it flash forwards to the point after Elvis has been taken with Pike on the hunt along with the parallel story of Elvis trying to find the woman.
The problem is that by telling us that Cole is going be kidnapped from the jump it just makes his story a foregone conclusion which robs it of its drama. At the same time even with the flash-forwards he doesn’t get the Pike on the hunt piece really moving until the third act. Since that’s the story I was told this book was about and because the structure keeps reminding me that it’s coming, I was kind of tapping my foot the entire time I was reading and just wishing that we’d get to the fireworks factory already.
I probably would have liked this better if Crais had just fully committed to Cole kidnapping plot and had it happen much sooner and told the story in a linear fashion. Or he could have sold this book as it just being another Cole/Pike case about them looking for a kidnapped woman and saved the Cole kidnapping as a plot turn at the end of the second act. Crais is pretty good at throwing unexpected twists in at times, and that could have been a real doozy. Then the third act could have been Pike’s relentless hunt to find his friend, and it would have been a lot tenser.
As it is, it felt like Crais really fell in love with that elevator pitch of “Cole gets taken. Pike has to find him.” But then he couldn’t bear to just let Cole play that role. So he tried to have his cake and eat it, too.
It’s still a pretty solid book in an entertaining series, but I still feel a little disappointed in the way it played out.
Private detective Elvis Cole gets hired to find a young woman because she dropped out of sight for a few days. The mother suspects that her daughter is with a boyfriend that she disapproves of, and that this is a case of college aged kids just off having some irresponsible fun. However, Elvis quickly figures out that the couple were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and were swept up as part of scheme in which illegal immigrants crossing into the US are kidnapped and held for whatever ransom their loved ones can scrape together. Cole enlists the help of his partner Joe Pike and has a plan to locate the missing kids, but things go sideways and Cole ends up being held, too. With the help of a fellow mercenary Pike begins a methodical hunt for his friend.
This one has all the hallmarks of your typical Cole & Pike novel. Elvis runs around doing some clever detective work while Pike shows up at opportune moments to unleash hell, and Crais has mastered using that formula with these characters to deliver exciting crime/action novels. Unfortunately, I think Crais fell into a trap of his own making here that hurts the story.
It’s clear from the title and book jacket summary that Elvis is going to get kidnapped and that Pike will have to find him. I saw Crais in an interview at Bouchercon back in 2011 in which he mentioned that the book he was writing at that time involved Elvis being taken and Pike getting him back. So that’s obviously the hook he started with and built the novel around. It’s a good idea for a story so I understand why Crais committed to it early on.
However, to really do that idea then Elvis should probably get snatched by the end of the first act, and that means that rest of the story would be on Pike’s shoulders with Elvis being a supporting player. Crais has done that before in a couple of Pike-centric book so it shouldn’t be a problem, but for some reason he wanted Elvis to be a big part of this one doing his usual detective thing. So to keep the core idea of Elvis being kidnapped in place while still making him an active figure in the plot Crais structured the book so that it flash forwards to the point after Elvis has been taken with Pike on the hunt along with the parallel story of Elvis trying to find the woman.
The problem is that by telling us that Cole is going be kidnapped from the jump it just makes his story a foregone conclusion which robs it of its drama. At the same time even with the flash-forwards he doesn’t get the Pike on the hunt piece really moving until the third act. Since that’s the story I was told this book was about and because the structure keeps reminding me that it’s coming, I was kind of tapping my foot the entire time I was reading and just wishing that we’d get to the fireworks factory already.
I probably would have liked this better if Crais had just fully committed to Cole kidnapping plot and had it happen much sooner and told the story in a linear fashion. Or he could have sold this book as it just being another Cole/Pike case about them looking for a kidnapped woman and saved the Cole kidnapping as a plot turn at the end of the second act. Crais is pretty good at throwing unexpected twists in at times, and that could have been a real doozy. Then the third act could have been Pike’s relentless hunt to find his friend, and it would have been a lot tenser.
As it is, it felt like Crais really fell in love with that elevator pitch of “Cole gets taken. Pike has to find him.” But then he couldn’t bear to just let Cole play that role. So he tried to have his cake and eat it, too.
It’s still a pretty solid book in an entertaining series, but I still feel a little disappointed in the way it played out.
December 3, 2012
A woman hires Elvis Cole to find her kidnapped daughter. Elvis takes the case, only to find himself kidnapped. Can Joe Pike find Elvis before the kidnappers decide to silence him... permanently?
So now I'm finally completely caught up on the adventures of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. How did this effort stack up to the rest of them? It held its own, that's for certain.
With Taken, Robert Crais put to rest my fears that maybe Crais might start phoning it in. He took a fairly basic kidnapping plot and did great things with it. The thing that sets Taken apart from other kidnapping books is the structure. While I bemoaned Crais's shifting viewpoints in the past, he used it to marvelous effect in this book. The viewpoint shifted between the kidnapping victims, Elvis Cole, Joe Pike, and Jon Stone, not only shifting between characters but jumping around in time as well. It's structure reminded me of Cornell Woolrich's The Bride Wore Black at some points and the movie Boondock Saints at others.
Cole and Pike were their usual selves. Jon Stone, one of Pike's mercenary buddies, has been growing on me in his last few appearances. The kidnappers were a horrible bunch and it was great when they finally got what was coming to them.
That's about it for me. If you've followed Joe and Elvis this far, I can't imagine not reading this book. Four easy stars.
So now I'm finally completely caught up on the adventures of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. How did this effort stack up to the rest of them? It held its own, that's for certain.
With Taken, Robert Crais put to rest my fears that maybe Crais might start phoning it in. He took a fairly basic kidnapping plot and did great things with it. The thing that sets Taken apart from other kidnapping books is the structure. While I bemoaned Crais's shifting viewpoints in the past, he used it to marvelous effect in this book. The viewpoint shifted between the kidnapping victims, Elvis Cole, Joe Pike, and Jon Stone, not only shifting between characters but jumping around in time as well. It's structure reminded me of Cornell Woolrich's The Bride Wore Black at some points and the movie Boondock Saints at others.
Cole and Pike were their usual selves. Jon Stone, one of Pike's mercenary buddies, has been growing on me in his last few appearances. The kidnappers were a horrible bunch and it was great when they finally got what was coming to them.
That's about it for me. If you've followed Joe and Elvis this far, I can't imagine not reading this book. Four easy stars.
November 10, 2021
Once I started reading this excellent novel I was hooked. High Octane Thriller. Not to be overlooked! Thought provoking and eye opening. Robert Crais a brilliant writer.
March 13, 2021
This book is unique (I think) for this series. It's my first by Crais anyway to have time jump from multiple point of views. Sadly, it was too confusing to listen to because time was nonlinear, it was all over the place. So from a listener point of view, I just knew what happened. Pretty exciting to have a rescuer getting captured, or "Taken"!
March 17, 2013
Ok, a few rambling thoughts on Robert Crais. Who is this guy, where'd he come from, how'd he get so popular? Well the first thing to know is that Crais is not from California at all. He is a native of Louisiana, grew up in a blue collar family, and read his first crime novel The Little Sister when he was 15. And that's all it took. Chandler gave him his love for writing. Other authors that have inspired him were Hammett, Hemingway (seems like that's true of all the crime writers), Parker, and Steinbeck (huh?).
How'd he get so popular? In short: television and L.A. Requim. Robert Crais has a very impressive resume as a screenwriter for such television series as Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice (damn, I loved that show too!), Cagney & Lacey. But what hits home the most with Crais himself is his work on the 4 hour mini series Cross of Fire which is about the Ku Klux Klan and is probably more relevant to his home state of Louisiana than it is to Hollywood. Following a growing dissatsifaction of a screen writer's constraints, Crais began writing novels. L.A. Requim, which is the 8th Elvis Cole novel, is what landed him as an author that defied all genres and in it outsurpassed even the legendary Ross Macdonald.
Enough about Crais, the guy's good. So, what about Elvis Cole? Naming someone Elvis had to have been a fairly deliberate decision. To me the name seems iconic, Warholish, Disneylandish, a bit theatrical if not cynical. In fact his novels and trinkets therein are suffused with cultural icons: Spider Man mug, Jiminy Cricket (latent fantasy of wanting to be Peter Pan?), and his yellow Corvette. Even his slogan seems hamstrung with Hollywood's obsession with icons: Elvis Cole is The world's Greatest Detective! But in reality there's nothing ridiculous about Cole: he's tough, honest, ponders morality and ambiguity and hypocrasies while staring out the balcony window in his office.Yes, he's cynical, a smart ass, a comic relief in many ways...but behind the seeming humor lies a Dan Wesson .38, the Vietnam War, martial arts and his biggest gun of all: Joe Pike.
Joe Pike, the avenging angel, is a tool used sparingly by Crais. Use him too much and you wonder why he isn't the main character (we know Crais has struggled with this as he produced 4 separate novels featuring Pike as the hero); use him too little and you start wondering why the big guns aren't being pulled out by Elvis. What you want to do is increase the anxiety level of the reader towards the hero, not get the reader frustrated with him. Crais handles this expertly...and uses Pike to increase the anticipation in readers.
The Elvis Cole novels should be considered hard boiled detectives primarily in that Crais deviates from the traditional Romantic tradition found in detective stories and crime fiction by introducing Cole as a detective with a decidedly cynical attitude towards the emotions (i.e. apprehension, horror, terror, and awe such as are found in other crime and thriller stories). And yet, we find sprinkled throughout the books insightful observations of the world as seen through Elvis's eyes. In the following passage, Elvis observes the effects of dry brush fires raging through L.A.:
Picture the detective at work in his office, fourth floor, Hollywood, as the Devil's Wind freight-trains down from the desert. Though dry and brutally harsh, the desert wind is clean. It pushes the smog south to the sea and scrubs the sky to a crystalline blue. The air, jittery from the heat, rises in swaying tendrils like kelp from the seabed, making the city shimmer. We are never more beautiful than when we are burning.
Like I said, it really came together following the publication of his 8th Elvis Cole novel. Pike his side kick, Lou Poitras (Cole's detective friend) gruffy as ever, shifting view points, a relaxation of Cole's zany character...it all came together following L.A. Requim. So, believe me. All in all, you will not be disappointed with the Elvis Cole series. There are a lot of these novels so sit back and enjoy! I most certainly did.
As with all series reviews, this one covers all the Elvis Cole books. So if you've read this review of mine than you've read 'em all.
How'd he get so popular? In short: television and L.A. Requim. Robert Crais has a very impressive resume as a screenwriter for such television series as Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice (damn, I loved that show too!), Cagney & Lacey. But what hits home the most with Crais himself is his work on the 4 hour mini series Cross of Fire which is about the Ku Klux Klan and is probably more relevant to his home state of Louisiana than it is to Hollywood. Following a growing dissatsifaction of a screen writer's constraints, Crais began writing novels. L.A. Requim, which is the 8th Elvis Cole novel, is what landed him as an author that defied all genres and in it outsurpassed even the legendary Ross Macdonald.
Enough about Crais, the guy's good. So, what about Elvis Cole? Naming someone Elvis had to have been a fairly deliberate decision. To me the name seems iconic, Warholish, Disneylandish, a bit theatrical if not cynical. In fact his novels and trinkets therein are suffused with cultural icons: Spider Man mug, Jiminy Cricket (latent fantasy of wanting to be Peter Pan?), and his yellow Corvette. Even his slogan seems hamstrung with Hollywood's obsession with icons: Elvis Cole is The world's Greatest Detective! But in reality there's nothing ridiculous about Cole: he's tough, honest, ponders morality and ambiguity and hypocrasies while staring out the balcony window in his office.Yes, he's cynical, a smart ass, a comic relief in many ways...but behind the seeming humor lies a Dan Wesson .38, the Vietnam War, martial arts and his biggest gun of all: Joe Pike.
Joe Pike, the avenging angel, is a tool used sparingly by Crais. Use him too much and you wonder why he isn't the main character (we know Crais has struggled with this as he produced 4 separate novels featuring Pike as the hero); use him too little and you start wondering why the big guns aren't being pulled out by Elvis. What you want to do is increase the anxiety level of the reader towards the hero, not get the reader frustrated with him. Crais handles this expertly...and uses Pike to increase the anticipation in readers.
The Elvis Cole novels should be considered hard boiled detectives primarily in that Crais deviates from the traditional Romantic tradition found in detective stories and crime fiction by introducing Cole as a detective with a decidedly cynical attitude towards the emotions (i.e. apprehension, horror, terror, and awe such as are found in other crime and thriller stories). And yet, we find sprinkled throughout the books insightful observations of the world as seen through Elvis's eyes. In the following passage, Elvis observes the effects of dry brush fires raging through L.A.:
Picture the detective at work in his office, fourth floor, Hollywood, as the Devil's Wind freight-trains down from the desert. Though dry and brutally harsh, the desert wind is clean. It pushes the smog south to the sea and scrubs the sky to a crystalline blue. The air, jittery from the heat, rises in swaying tendrils like kelp from the seabed, making the city shimmer. We are never more beautiful than when we are burning.
Like I said, it really came together following the publication of his 8th Elvis Cole novel. Pike his side kick, Lou Poitras (Cole's detective friend) gruffy as ever, shifting view points, a relaxation of Cole's zany character...it all came together following L.A. Requim. So, believe me. All in all, you will not be disappointed with the Elvis Cole series. There are a lot of these novels so sit back and enjoy! I most certainly did.
As with all series reviews, this one covers all the Elvis Cole books. So if you've read this review of mine than you've read 'em all.
August 28, 2023
These later books are starting to follow a familiar pattern, but Robert Crais knows what he's doing, and Taken is an excellent addition to the series.
November 27, 2019
To date I’ve weaved a random path through this series, featuring LA private detective Elvis Cole and his hard man sidekick Joe Pike. In this, one of the later episodes, Elvis is approached by a woman whose daughter has gone missing. Because of the structure of this book we already know this: her abduction, along with her boyfriend, having been covered in the opening scene. In fact this book really does tell the story in an unusual way, as various scenes from the past are interspersed with action from present. I initially found this rather off putting but as the story progressed the reason for this became apparent and, in retrospect, I think it actually worked quite well.
So, having already borne witness to one abduction we then learn that Elvis himself has been ‘taken’, though we’ve yet to catch up with that particular scene. Yes, a little odd. But actually, once I gotten used to the rhythm of it all I quickly started to appreciate this fast paced tale of brutal gangs who exploit people who are taking huge risks to cross the Mexican border in their desperation to reach the promised land beyond. Now, with Elvis on the inside and Pike and a cohort on the outside, the whole thing simmers away nicely before boiling up into a frenzied climax.
I’d recently read a book by travel writer Paul Theroux documenting his travels into Mexico, which featured a lengthy study on the gangs who facilitate the border crossings and the possible fates awaiting those for whom the crossing is not a roaring success. It’s pretty grim stuff! In this respect, I would say that the story, though clearly focused on the deeds of Cole and Pike, does seem to have a grounding in real life.
I do enjoy this series, it’s well written and I like the way that Crais has developed his lead characters. The stories are short and punchy too. I’ll certainly be back for more.
So, having already borne witness to one abduction we then learn that Elvis himself has been ‘taken’, though we’ve yet to catch up with that particular scene. Yes, a little odd. But actually, once I gotten used to the rhythm of it all I quickly started to appreciate this fast paced tale of brutal gangs who exploit people who are taking huge risks to cross the Mexican border in their desperation to reach the promised land beyond. Now, with Elvis on the inside and Pike and a cohort on the outside, the whole thing simmers away nicely before boiling up into a frenzied climax.
I’d recently read a book by travel writer Paul Theroux documenting his travels into Mexico, which featured a lengthy study on the gangs who facilitate the border crossings and the possible fates awaiting those for whom the crossing is not a roaring success. It’s pretty grim stuff! In this respect, I would say that the story, though clearly focused on the deeds of Cole and Pike, does seem to have a grounding in real life.
I do enjoy this series, it’s well written and I like the way that Crais has developed his lead characters. The stories are short and punchy too. I’ll certainly be back for more.
January 19, 2023
What a load of bollocks. Laugh out loud in parts. Elvis Cole a detective investigates the kidnapping of Karla and her boyfriend Jack. They are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Elvis gets into a bit of bother and his super ex army buddies Jon Stone and Joe Pike come to the rescue. The super baddie kidnaps people being smuggled by Mexican cartels. Then when the money dries up kills the victims. Not a great business model ripping off Cartels. Oh there is also a new Korean gang who are even more vicious.
The time line was odd and the characters have about as much emotion as a stone. There is a high body count and everyone lives happily ever after except the bad guys. Very easy to read but Leo Tolstoy can sleep easy.
Elvis gets into a bit of bother and his super ex army buddies Jon Stone and Joe Pike come to the rescue. The super baddie kidnaps people being smuggled by Mexican cartels. Then when the money dries up kills the victims. Not a great business model ripping off Cartels. Oh there is also a new Korean gang who are even more vicious.
The time line was odd and the characters have about as much emotion as a stone. There is a high body count and everyone lives happily ever after except the bad guys. Very easy to read but Leo Tolstoy can sleep easy.
October 23, 2025
2nd reading - Going back through the series, and this is where I originally met Elvis and Joe. The timeline of this story is disjointed, but to me, just adds to the suspense.
A wealthy Hispanic business owner contacts Elvis to look for her college-age daughter, who has been seeing a young man for several months. She thinks the girl has eloped or is in trouble. Unraveling the mystery, our hero discovers a web of illegal immigrant smugglers. If that isn't bad enough, there are groups of bandits who steal the smuggler's people then ransom them off to family members, killing them when the funds are exhausted.
Action-filled, with Elvis, Joe and Jon Stone in top notch form.
1st reading - My first Elvis and Joe book, excellent! Ready to start at No. 1
A wealthy Hispanic business owner contacts Elvis to look for her college-age daughter, who has been seeing a young man for several months. She thinks the girl has eloped or is in trouble. Unraveling the mystery, our hero discovers a web of illegal immigrant smugglers. If that isn't bad enough, there are groups of bandits who steal the smuggler's people then ransom them off to family members, killing them when the funds are exhausted.
Action-filled, with Elvis, Joe and Jon Stone in top notch form.
1st reading - My first Elvis and Joe book, excellent! Ready to start at No. 1
May 27, 2018
Taken is a Pike and Elvis Cole novel from Robert Crais. Elvis Cole caught a case of a wealthy industrialist missing son and his girlfriend when the police believe that they faked their kidnapping. To find Jack and Krista Cole went undercover. However, he did not realise that he would disappear too. Pike became involved in the case to find Cole. The readers of Taken will follow the twists and turns to see if Pike will discover where the kidnappers are keeping Cole, Jack and Krista.
I was recommended to read one of Robert Crais books by a friend and never look back. I enjoy reading Taken. I like that Robert Crais portrayed Pike, and Elvis Cole has two strong men, but with heart, in the way, they treat people that they became involved. Taken is well written and researched by Robert Crais. The way Robert Crais describes his settings and plots ensures that I enjoyed and engaged with reading Taken.
The readers of Taken will learn about human trafficking and how they get their victims. Also, the readers of Taken will see the importance of friendship.
I recommend this book.
I was recommended to read one of Robert Crais books by a friend and never look back. I enjoy reading Taken. I like that Robert Crais portrayed Pike, and Elvis Cole has two strong men, but with heart, in the way, they treat people that they became involved. Taken is well written and researched by Robert Crais. The way Robert Crais describes his settings and plots ensures that I enjoyed and engaged with reading Taken.
The readers of Taken will learn about human trafficking and how they get their victims. Also, the readers of Taken will see the importance of friendship.
I recommend this book.
April 11, 2023
I read TAKEN ten or so years ago when it first came out. I then saw it discounted on audio and since I've listened to other Cole/Pike books and like the narrator, I bought the audio to listen again because I didn't remember much about the story. Just as good in audio as I remember reading!
The story is told in parallel storylines past and present (over days) and masterfully brought together by the end. John Stone has a key role -- I don't remember if it's the first time he is in one of the books, but I always enjoy him and love how Luke Daniels (narrator) portrays him. The story is timely even now, is a fantastic thriller, and also highlights Cole and Pike's friendship. Crais is one of the best out there and Cole/Pike are so much fun and original. I'm sad because I'm now all caught up on his books.
The story is told in parallel storylines past and present (over days) and masterfully brought together by the end. John Stone has a key role -- I don't remember if it's the first time he is in one of the books, but I always enjoy him and love how Luke Daniels (narrator) portrays him. The story is timely even now, is a fantastic thriller, and also highlights Cole and Pike's friendship. Crais is one of the best out there and Cole/Pike are so much fun and original. I'm sad because I'm now all caught up on his books.
April 17, 2018
This book in the series is about human trafficking. Cole, Pike and another combat buddy, Jon Stone, immerse themselves into a world so amoral you might want to brace yourself. Krista and her boyfriend are in the wrong place at the wrong time and have seen too much. They are both captured during a transport heist and these bandits will take anyone who has family that will 'pay' for them. Krista's mother hires Cole, but she's not the only one looking for her daughter. The boyfriend is hiding something and his family is looking for him too.
I really enjoyed this story. The chapters are set up to give us a general idea of when things are happening, days before, to hours after being 'taken'. A couple of characters were surprising. The kicker - As Cole tries to set up a way to get inside as a trafficker, he is also captured so it is up to Pike and Stone to save them all. The suspense was killing me throughout this read and it is so hard to imagine that this kind of thing happens to people crossing the border. Until it happens to 'us' .....ignorance is bliss. This was a good one.
I really enjoyed this story. The chapters are set up to give us a general idea of when things are happening, days before, to hours after being 'taken'. A couple of characters were surprising. The kicker - As Cole tries to set up a way to get inside as a trafficker, he is also captured so it is up to Pike and Stone to save them all. The suspense was killing me throughout this read and it is so hard to imagine that this kind of thing happens to people crossing the border. Until it happens to 'us' .....ignorance is bliss. This was a good one.
April 28, 2012
I'm a big fan of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, but this was not my favorite book in the series. The decision to run segments out of chronological order meant we see Joe Pike being violent before we see the events that tipped him over that limit. This makes made him feel less sympathetic. Pike always hovers on that edge, because of his ruthless pragmatism and his Delta skills, but because he's also honorable, usually there is justification that exonerates his violence. In this case there is too, but you don't feel that, viscerally, because of the order in which the events are presented. The story seemed a little disjointed and complicated, with a bunch of minor players. The non-linear segmental presentation made that worse, for a plot that really did not need the added complexity.
There were a few nice moments, the best of which was a car wash, but the potential Elvis/Pike emotional tension ended up pretty muted. I'll still look for the next one. I hope that next time the author steps back to a simpler story and presentation, and gives us a just a touch more of the emotional subtext that he does so well.
There were a few nice moments, the best of which was a car wash, but the potential Elvis/Pike emotional tension ended up pretty muted. I'll still look for the next one. I hope that next time the author steps back to a simpler story and presentation, and gives us a just a touch more of the emotional subtext that he does so well.
November 11, 2012
It's a good thriller, but it's not a great Elvis Cole book.
As the series has progressed, Crais has kept on raising the physical and emotional stakes for his protagonists. Early on in the series, bad things happen to strangers and clients. Then bad things happen to people close to the main characters. Then bad things happen to the heroes directly. By now, it's almost impossible to conceive of an Elvis Cole/Joe Pike story where the two of them are not in mortal danger on every page.
It gets tiring.
Cole still jokes about being the World's Greatest Detective, but his heart isn't in it any more. He feels tired and broken, and, well, not much fun any more.
Joe Pike has always been a darker character, and I'm happy enough reading a grim tale with him at the centre. But I much prefer the easy-going Elvis Cole from from back in The Monkey's Raincoat or Indigo Slam.
As the series has progressed, Crais has kept on raising the physical and emotional stakes for his protagonists. Early on in the series, bad things happen to strangers and clients. Then bad things happen to people close to the main characters. Then bad things happen to the heroes directly. By now, it's almost impossible to conceive of an Elvis Cole/Joe Pike story where the two of them are not in mortal danger on every page.
It gets tiring.
Cole still jokes about being the World's Greatest Detective, but his heart isn't in it any more. He feels tired and broken, and, well, not much fun any more.
Joe Pike has always been a darker character, and I'm happy enough reading a grim tale with him at the centre. But I much prefer the easy-going Elvis Cole from from back in The Monkey's Raincoat or Indigo Slam.
December 14, 2018
I read this at some point in the past, but I don't remember exactly when, although I can guess by the file dates on my computer; it was between the original date and the date I joined Goodreads. My audiobook player remembers that I finished it, and I somewhat remember the basic story. So, my rating isn't that accurate, but any book with Joe Pike rates at least 4 stars.
January 29, 2020
Another 5*. When you start an Elvis Cole & Joseph “Joe” Pike adventure it’s hard to stop reading until you are finished then you wished it wasn’t over. Robert Crais is awesome 👏
January 12, 2019
Taken is the 15th book in Robert Crais "Elvis Cole" series.
It is a good addition to the series!
It is a good addition to the series!
January 30, 2012
A new Robert Crais book is an occasion to read a master at work. His knowledge of the criminal element and the evil they do is second to none. Also he really does a good job in giving the hostages a presence in the story. The prisoner scenes and the horror there really increases the tension.
One of the more interesting elements of the novel is its non linear plot. The action is broken up into the point of view of various characters and some of the story is told from the point of view of some characters about events involving other characters that have not yet happened. So you know a little of the future ahead of time. I think Crais used this non linear approach to rachet up the tension and because a straight manhunt for the taken people would be too similar to some of his earlier Pike novels. I understand why Crais chose this approach, but I think it hurt the narrative flow.
Also Crais approaches the Pike character in different ways when the novel has Cole and Pike together than when Pike is the main character. This may be because Cole views Pike as more of a skilled hunter, but we do not get as much of the internal Pike characters as we do in a standalone Pike novel. Jon Stone, a character from prior Pike novels makes an appearance and does add more flavor.
Basically, Cole is hired to find Krista Morales, who with her boyfriend Jake Berman have been kidnapped. Krista's mother thinks the boyfriend is involved, but Cole quickly realizes that this is a real kidnapping by very bad people and calls in his friend Pike for help.
Cole and Pike soon discovers that the Syrian, a bandit who kidnaps illegal immigrants from the coyotes who are trying to get them into the USA and then ransoms them to their families, has taken Krista and Jack. This is a nightmare because when the poor immigrants families cannot pay, the prisoners are killed. At the same time that Krista and Jake are taken, a bunch of Korean immigrants are also taken including the grandson of a local Korean criminal organization. The Koreans want their people freed and want the grandson back.
Cole the detective gets on the track of the Syrian and midway makes a play with the Korean crime family help to try to fool the Syrian. Meanwhile, Krista, Jack and the grandson have to survive the attentions of the Syrian and his murderous thugs.
Ultimately, its up to Jon Stone and Pike to locate Cole, Krista and Jack, and Pike must use all of his unique skills to put himself in a position to rescue the hostages. The ATF, a bad real estate agent, a worried mother, a bunch of abused desperate prisoners, all are baked into the plot and add the necessary elements that keep the story moving along. Cole is also instrumental in the final battle.
Its a winner.
One of the more interesting elements of the novel is its non linear plot. The action is broken up into the point of view of various characters and some of the story is told from the point of view of some characters about events involving other characters that have not yet happened. So you know a little of the future ahead of time. I think Crais used this non linear approach to rachet up the tension and because a straight manhunt for the taken people would be too similar to some of his earlier Pike novels. I understand why Crais chose this approach, but I think it hurt the narrative flow.
Also Crais approaches the Pike character in different ways when the novel has Cole and Pike together than when Pike is the main character. This may be because Cole views Pike as more of a skilled hunter, but we do not get as much of the internal Pike characters as we do in a standalone Pike novel. Jon Stone, a character from prior Pike novels makes an appearance and does add more flavor.
Basically, Cole is hired to find Krista Morales, who with her boyfriend Jake Berman have been kidnapped. Krista's mother thinks the boyfriend is involved, but Cole quickly realizes that this is a real kidnapping by very bad people and calls in his friend Pike for help.
Cole and Pike soon discovers that the Syrian, a bandit who kidnaps illegal immigrants from the coyotes who are trying to get them into the USA and then ransoms them to their families, has taken Krista and Jack. This is a nightmare because when the poor immigrants families cannot pay, the prisoners are killed. At the same time that Krista and Jake are taken, a bunch of Korean immigrants are also taken including the grandson of a local Korean criminal organization. The Koreans want their people freed and want the grandson back.
Cole the detective gets on the track of the Syrian and midway makes a play with the Korean crime family help to try to fool the Syrian. Meanwhile, Krista, Jack and the grandson have to survive the attentions of the Syrian and his murderous thugs.
Ultimately, its up to Jon Stone and Pike to locate Cole, Krista and Jack, and Pike must use all of his unique skills to put himself in a position to rescue the hostages. The ATF, a bad real estate agent, a worried mother, a bunch of abused desperate prisoners, all are baked into the plot and add the necessary elements that keep the story moving along. Cole is also instrumental in the final battle.
Its a winner.
January 26, 2012
Always leaves me wanting more...Pike.
More Pike, more emotion but those two words just don't go together. I keep hoping the facade will crack and we will get a momentary glimpse inside the tortured man we have grown to love. I thought I would see more emotion with Elvis being kidnapped but in true Crais form it was understated and simple, like Pike and his relationship with Elvis, it was broken down into simple, tangible things, the Corvette and a Jiminy Cricket figurine. Each item having meaning to a character in the story.
I understand Pike's need to keep his demons locked tightly away in a box...probably best for the world they stay there. I get to let mine come out to play in my novels. Pike's lack of trust and emotion resonates with some of us. Wanting solitude but constantly battling with that ingrained need for human contact. Elvis and Pike have a unique friendship.They are two people who never had anyone to depend on in the world until they found each other.
Stone is a nice addition and a necessity to this storyline. Stone is the Chatty Cathy to Pike's stoic, intense silence, with Elvis out of the picture someone needs to talk. I'm not sure if Stone would hold my interest as a stand alone character as Pike has, but I can see another joint adventure in their future. Pike does owe his fellow ex-merc 'one' now. I don't see any real depth to Stone, just his self-serving nature, but that can always change.
Everyone involved had an agenda and a need of some sort. Elvis needed to find his client's daughter, Pike needed to find Elvis and Stone needed to relieve his boredom. What is it about L.A. and people exercising in the nude? I must visit this place.
'Taken' was a gut wrenching look into a world of human trafficking that most of us couldn't dream up in our worst nightmares. Bandits who rob bandits and the prize is the human cargo they transport into the country. It was bloody, it was brutal but again, understated perfection! Just enough to draw us in but not enough to turn us off. Crais shows us in novel after novel the hidden worlds just outside our windows.
I happily give Elvis, The World's Greatest Detective moniker after this adventure, nothing like going into the belly of the beast for your client. Pike is the supreme predator, the hunter who keeps going until he completes his mission or dies trying.
I'm anxiously waiting the next Robert Crais book!
More Pike, more emotion but those two words just don't go together. I keep hoping the facade will crack and we will get a momentary glimpse inside the tortured man we have grown to love. I thought I would see more emotion with Elvis being kidnapped but in true Crais form it was understated and simple, like Pike and his relationship with Elvis, it was broken down into simple, tangible things, the Corvette and a Jiminy Cricket figurine. Each item having meaning to a character in the story.
I understand Pike's need to keep his demons locked tightly away in a box...probably best for the world they stay there. I get to let mine come out to play in my novels. Pike's lack of trust and emotion resonates with some of us. Wanting solitude but constantly battling with that ingrained need for human contact. Elvis and Pike have a unique friendship.They are two people who never had anyone to depend on in the world until they found each other.
Stone is a nice addition and a necessity to this storyline. Stone is the Chatty Cathy to Pike's stoic, intense silence, with Elvis out of the picture someone needs to talk. I'm not sure if Stone would hold my interest as a stand alone character as Pike has, but I can see another joint adventure in their future. Pike does owe his fellow ex-merc 'one' now. I don't see any real depth to Stone, just his self-serving nature, but that can always change.
Everyone involved had an agenda and a need of some sort. Elvis needed to find his client's daughter, Pike needed to find Elvis and Stone needed to relieve his boredom. What is it about L.A. and people exercising in the nude? I must visit this place.
'Taken' was a gut wrenching look into a world of human trafficking that most of us couldn't dream up in our worst nightmares. Bandits who rob bandits and the prize is the human cargo they transport into the country. It was bloody, it was brutal but again, understated perfection! Just enough to draw us in but not enough to turn us off. Crais shows us in novel after novel the hidden worlds just outside our windows.
I happily give Elvis, The World's Greatest Detective moniker after this adventure, nothing like going into the belly of the beast for your client. Pike is the supreme predator, the hunter who keeps going until he completes his mission or dies trying.
I'm anxiously waiting the next Robert Crais book!
February 16, 2012
This month I am recommending Robert Crais. In general, and in the specific. His latest Elvis Cole and Joe Pike thriller is titled TAKEN. It is about immigrants trying to get into the country illegally and being hijacked by the various ethnic gangs and then ransomed to their families over and over again. Very tough stuff to read about, but a terrific story from Bob. I've like all of his books. This latest is just an excuse to remind readers once again what a good storyteller he is.
December 31, 2020
Not great. There’s an awful lot of following cars through traffic, jumping between viewpoints of characters, repetitive dialogue.
I would just skip this one, it's certainly not as good as his usual.
One fun quote though:
Pike had an unlisted number, but found a message from an ATP agent who identified himself as Special Agent Kim Stanley Robinson.
(KSR is a famous science fiction writer)
I would just skip this one, it's certainly not as good as his usual.
One fun quote though:
Pike had an unlisted number, but found a message from an ATP agent who identified himself as Special Agent Kim Stanley Robinson.
(KSR is a famous science fiction writer)
March 11, 2012
Good addition to the Elvis Cole, World's Greatest Detective series. Two kids out in the desert are inadvertently captured by bajadores, who steal immigrants bound for the U.S. and extort their families. Elvis investigates and is himself captured after enlisting Joe Pike and Korean gangsters, whose "clients" were abducted.
June 4, 2019
Los Angeles PI Elvis Cole is hired by Nita Morales to find her daughter Krista. Krista and her boyfriend, Jack, disappeared several days ago. Nita has received a ransom call, but she was only asked for $500. Surely, this is just Krista and Jack trying to get some money from Nita so they can elope, right? However, Elvis quickly begins to determine that Krista and Jack are in serious danger; they’ve been kidnapped by a group that captures illegal immigrants trying to get into California. But knowing what happened to them only increases the stakes. Can Elvis and his partner, Joe Pike, find the two young adults and rescue them before it is too late?
This book is an amazing thrill ride. The story starts off fast, and it never really lets go until we reach the end. However, it is too much like a movie thriller, which means it has some serious weaknesses. The characters, even series leads Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, are shallow. This doesn’t help since there are a lot of players we have to try to keep straight. Author Robert Crais uses shifting timelines to help increase the tension, which works as intended, but he notes the time in a way that grows confusing as the book progresses; he even spoils a major plot point early on as a result. The book is brutal and filled with foul language. While I expect that when reading one of Robert Crais’s books, this one seemed excessive, even by his standards. Despite all these negatives, I still found the book extremely addicting and impossible to stop thinking about. It’s worth reading as long as you keep your expectations appropriate going into the book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
This book is an amazing thrill ride. The story starts off fast, and it never really lets go until we reach the end. However, it is too much like a movie thriller, which means it has some serious weaknesses. The characters, even series leads Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, are shallow. This doesn’t help since there are a lot of players we have to try to keep straight. Author Robert Crais uses shifting timelines to help increase the tension, which works as intended, but he notes the time in a way that grows confusing as the book progresses; he even spoils a major plot point early on as a result. The book is brutal and filled with foul language. While I expect that when reading one of Robert Crais’s books, this one seemed excessive, even by his standards. Despite all these negatives, I still found the book extremely addicting and impossible to stop thinking about. It’s worth reading as long as you keep your expectations appropriate going into the book.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
March 4, 2024
I read this in one sitting. It was very panic inducing!
I knew Pike would rescue Cole but still!! Anxiety city!
AND Jon Stone needs a spin off book! He’s perfect in this one. I need more Stone.
Human trafficking and the people who rob the robbers. It was pretty insane. Criminals, gangsters and thrives all mixing it up with Cole, Pike and Stone.
Super evil people. Cole and Pike prevail.
I knew Pike would rescue Cole but still!! Anxiety city!
AND Jon Stone needs a spin off book! He’s perfect in this one. I need more Stone.
Human trafficking and the people who rob the robbers. It was pretty insane. Criminals, gangsters and thrives all mixing it up with Cole, Pike and Stone.
Super evil people. Cole and Pike prevail.
Want to read
July 8, 20227/2022 - rec from Kronos
May 26, 2023
Taken is the perfect example of why we read Crais's book. Elvis does his detecting and Joe kicks arse when it is needed. What you may over look when reading these novels is the relationship between Elvis and Joe. There is nothing they wont do for each other and I for one think it is great.
There is really no mystery in this novel as we are told really early what is going to happen. This only adds to the tension in the novel while you wait for the other shoe to drop and for Joe to start doing his thing. Another great entry in the Elvis and Joe universe.
There is really no mystery in this novel as we are told really early what is going to happen. This only adds to the tension in the novel while you wait for the other shoe to drop and for Joe to start doing his thing. Another great entry in the Elvis and Joe universe.
May 31, 2024
Action, Action, Action all the way. If you are looking for a fast paced pager turner with a great line up of characters then this is the book for you.
July 2, 2024
Wow! Great story told through many different perspectives. So tense and exciting. So many bad people out there - thank goodness for Elvis Cole and Joe Pike!
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