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Elvis Has Not Left the Building
It's tough being the King.
Which is why in 1977 Elvis faked his own death and endured massive facial reconstruction surgery, and disappeared from the limelight to live a normal life as the unassuming Aaron King. Unfortunately, leaving fame behind also meant leaving his fortune behind, too, and now Elvis finds himself broke and living in near poverty in a small apartment in Los Angeles. Luckily for him, it turns out he's a pretty good private investigator.
Now in his seventies and contemplating a return to music (discreetly, of course), Elvis is hired to solve a baffling missing person case. The King digs deeper, and soon finds himself surrounded by the seedier elements of Los Angeles, from nefarious Hollywood producers who prey upon the young, to twin brothers with a very dark secret.
And as Elvis pieces the bizarre puzzle together, he slowly makes his singing comeback—and will be reunited on stage with someone even the King himself never dreamed possible.
Which is why in 1977 Elvis faked his own death and endured massive facial reconstruction surgery, and disappeared from the limelight to live a normal life as the unassuming Aaron King. Unfortunately, leaving fame behind also meant leaving his fortune behind, too, and now Elvis finds himself broke and living in near poverty in a small apartment in Los Angeles. Luckily for him, it turns out he's a pretty good private investigator.
Now in his seventies and contemplating a return to music (discreetly, of course), Elvis is hired to solve a baffling missing person case. The King digs deeper, and soon finds himself surrounded by the seedier elements of Los Angeles, from nefarious Hollywood producers who prey upon the young, to twin brothers with a very dark secret.
And as Elvis pieces the bizarre puzzle together, he slowly makes his singing comeback—and will be reunited on stage with someone even the King himself never dreamed possible.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2010
152 people are currently reading
683 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Rain
686 books1,727 followersJ.R. Rain is the author of 110 novels and counting. He lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest, where he's hard at work on his next novel... and fighting off sparkly vampires.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
May 12, 2013
Do you think this is a silly idea?
Elvis Presley has faked his death and lives in Los Angeles under the name of Aaron King, (get it?) working as a private investigator specializing in finding missing persons. He is 74 years old, has a drinkng and Vicodin problem, and is usually broke.
Of course, it is a silly idea.
But J. R. Rain not only makes it work but gives it a raise and and a promotion. This has to be the biggest surprise, not to mention my most entertaining read, in all of 2011. What a nice way to finish up the year.
There are a number of things that makes this totally implausible idea work. First of all, the author's likable and casual prose does not allow us to take this fantasy too seriously. Then he manages to make Elvis mot only sympathetic but a very realistic geriatric gentleman with all of the charm, strengths and weaknesses one would expect from The King. Then there's the mystery. Rains keeps it fairly simply but keeps us guessing on the outcome. In ways. it is typically crime noir but Rains' little gimmick gives it the extra twist it needs.
I was quite taken by both the story and Rains' snappy prose. Without giving anything away, I must say it has one of the best endings I've read in a while, making it a very satisfying and upbeat crime noir novel and a perfect way to end the year of 2011.
I bet this is the first time you've ever seen the words upbeat and crime noir in the same sentence.
BTW, the kindle edition is currently available for free along with quite a few other J. R. Rains novels. It seems to be a growing habit for indie writers to allow their first book in series as a freebie with the intent of hooking the reader into the rest of the series. In this case, I'm hooked.
May 2013 update: The book is no longer free but still a bargain at $3.99.
Elvis Presley has faked his death and lives in Los Angeles under the name of Aaron King, (get it?) working as a private investigator specializing in finding missing persons. He is 74 years old, has a drinkng and Vicodin problem, and is usually broke.
Of course, it is a silly idea.
But J. R. Rain not only makes it work but gives it a raise and and a promotion. This has to be the biggest surprise, not to mention my most entertaining read, in all of 2011. What a nice way to finish up the year.
There are a number of things that makes this totally implausible idea work. First of all, the author's likable and casual prose does not allow us to take this fantasy too seriously. Then he manages to make Elvis mot only sympathetic but a very realistic geriatric gentleman with all of the charm, strengths and weaknesses one would expect from The King. Then there's the mystery. Rains keeps it fairly simply but keeps us guessing on the outcome. In ways. it is typically crime noir but Rains' little gimmick gives it the extra twist it needs.
I was quite taken by both the story and Rains' snappy prose. Without giving anything away, I must say it has one of the best endings I've read in a while, making it a very satisfying and upbeat crime noir novel and a perfect way to end the year of 2011.
I bet this is the first time you've ever seen the words upbeat and crime noir in the same sentence.
BTW, the kindle edition is currently available for free along with quite a few other J. R. Rains novels. It seems to be a growing habit for indie writers to allow their first book in series as a freebie with the intent of hooking the reader into the rest of the series. In this case, I'm hooked.
May 2013 update: The book is no longer free but still a bargain at $3.99.
January 15, 2012
Really fun, fast paced mystery. The lead character, Aaron King is actually Elvis Presley. After faking his death in 1977 and undergoing facial reconstructive surgery, Aaron became a private investigator in LA. Now in his 70's and hard up for money, he is still working and quite good at the PI business. He is also still dealing with his substance abuse addictions (and not successfully either), misses his daughter terribly, grieves various losses and yearns to be a performer again. In the story, he takes on a missing person case with next to no leads and begins receiving anonymous notes that someone has learned his true identity. I really enjoyed the first person narration of this story. While I admire Presley's work, I don't know much about his personality (the little I do suggests he was kinda whackadoodle, at least towards the end). This version of Presley is someone I enjoyed getting to know - humorous, self-deprecating, dedicated to his job, and an all around decent human being despite several flaws. The mystery was very well done, I thought, and the plot moved quickly and often unpredictably. This is a fairly short book and could easily be read in a day. I definitely want to read the second in this series and also give this author's other books a try to see if they are as entertaining as this one.
February 9, 2015
4.5 stars
I just love the concept of this book. What if…. Elvis is alive and working as a PI in Los Angeles. And whether you’re a (huge) Elvis fan like me or not, it’s a story that can be appreciated for what it is – a quirky and light-hearted tale that I don’t suppose would actually be beyond the realm of possibility if someone wanted it enough.
Weary of the pressures of his lifestyle, Elvis faked his own death in 1977 and for the last 30 some years has been living as the likeable and sarcastically witty Aaron King. Extensive reconstructive facial surgery has changed his appearance enough not to be easily recognisable although there’s still that fleeting glimmer of something that gives people a sense of familiarity.
The mystery and private investigation procedure aspect of the story is realistic and moves along fairly quickly with a sometimes unpredictable and well thought out plot. Aaron King is hired to find a missing young starlet. Luckily, he’s pretty good at his job, and as he pieces everything together the trail takes him into sleazy neighbourhoods and into the more sordid aspects of human nature.
The narrative is in the first person and reading Elvis’ thoughts and feelings about living a totally different lifestyle, makes identifying with him very easy. It’s entertaining, with emotionally touching moments and a very well presented storyline which flows well. Great character development too with a distinctly unglamorous but charmingly modest and self-deprecating Mr King, who’s hooked on painkillers, likes his booze a little too much and desperately misses his daughter.
JR Rain has made this story work with a sympathetic portrayal of an ageing man who can’t completely distance himself from his previous life, especially when the Elvis legend is still very much alive and Aaron can hear his own songs played at any given moment and see people impersonating him almost anywhere. A fun and cleverly written story with great dialogue. I think this is one for the read again pile.
I just love the concept of this book. What if…. Elvis is alive and working as a PI in Los Angeles. And whether you’re a (huge) Elvis fan like me or not, it’s a story that can be appreciated for what it is – a quirky and light-hearted tale that I don’t suppose would actually be beyond the realm of possibility if someone wanted it enough.
Weary of the pressures of his lifestyle, Elvis faked his own death in 1977 and for the last 30 some years has been living as the likeable and sarcastically witty Aaron King. Extensive reconstructive facial surgery has changed his appearance enough not to be easily recognisable although there’s still that fleeting glimmer of something that gives people a sense of familiarity.
The mystery and private investigation procedure aspect of the story is realistic and moves along fairly quickly with a sometimes unpredictable and well thought out plot. Aaron King is hired to find a missing young starlet. Luckily, he’s pretty good at his job, and as he pieces everything together the trail takes him into sleazy neighbourhoods and into the more sordid aspects of human nature.
The narrative is in the first person and reading Elvis’ thoughts and feelings about living a totally different lifestyle, makes identifying with him very easy. It’s entertaining, with emotionally touching moments and a very well presented storyline which flows well. Great character development too with a distinctly unglamorous but charmingly modest and self-deprecating Mr King, who’s hooked on painkillers, likes his booze a little too much and desperately misses his daughter.
JR Rain has made this story work with a sympathetic portrayal of an ageing man who can’t completely distance himself from his previous life, especially when the Elvis legend is still very much alive and Aaron can hear his own songs played at any given moment and see people impersonating him almost anywhere. A fun and cleverly written story with great dialogue. I think this is one for the read again pile.
January 30, 2012
What if Elvis had staged his own death? What would he be today? A seventy-something PI living in Hollywood?
This is a great little mystery. The main character is Aaron King, none other than the king himself, who's on a case to find a missing starlet. Only a handful of folks know he's really Elvis, and he is haunted by the vestiges of his past career. Old Elvis songs on the radio, impersonations, guitar hero...very humorous and enjoyable references. Elvis turns out to be a not so bad guy.
The characters, setting and plot work really well together for a nice, light read.
This is my first JR Rain book, and I might have to move on and read some more of his mysteries. Hope the next book in this series comes along soon!
This is a great little mystery. The main character is Aaron King, none other than the king himself, who's on a case to find a missing starlet. Only a handful of folks know he's really Elvis, and he is haunted by the vestiges of his past career. Old Elvis songs on the radio, impersonations, guitar hero...very humorous and enjoyable references. Elvis turns out to be a not so bad guy.
The characters, setting and plot work really well together for a nice, light read.
This is my first JR Rain book, and I might have to move on and read some more of his mysteries. Hope the next book in this series comes along soon!
February 23, 2012
This made me believe (that Elvis really could still be alive)! Fun, fun, fun!
March 5, 2012
If you think you've seen him at the Laundromat and the Dairy Queen you might be right. In fact, Elvis is alive and well and making a living as California's oldest (probably, at 75 years old) private detective. Having walked away from his singing career and his millions, Elvis has been forced to make money in unorthodox ways. Luckily, he has found that he's good at it.
JR Rains is on my list of "writers to look for" when I'm in bookstores or perusing Kindle lists. This book is one of the reasons why. To take such an unusual premise and make it not only work but be exceptionally entertaining takes talent. I could hear the words spoken in Elvis's voice and even though I was never a huge Elvis fan (forgive me mama) I found the book absolutely delightful. The plot was well-written and well-thought-out, as we've come to expect from Mr. Rains.
There were a few editing errors, but I could overlook them (rare for me) because the book intrigued me. When it comes to J.R. Rains and his newest main character "I can't help falling in love..."
JR Rains is on my list of "writers to look for" when I'm in bookstores or perusing Kindle lists. This book is one of the reasons why. To take such an unusual premise and make it not only work but be exceptionally entertaining takes talent. I could hear the words spoken in Elvis's voice and even though I was never a huge Elvis fan (forgive me mama) I found the book absolutely delightful. The plot was well-written and well-thought-out, as we've come to expect from Mr. Rains.
There were a few editing errors, but I could overlook them (rare for me) because the book intrigued me. When it comes to J.R. Rains and his newest main character "I can't help falling in love..."
January 8, 2012
I enjoyed this book by JR Rain about what the real Elvis has been up to since his "supposed" demise. I had met this character in the Vampire for Hire books by him, and had been meaning to read the series. I snatched this up as a freebie, and I am so glad that I have read it. I will be reading book 2 soon -- I think it has either just came out this month or will soon.
April 24, 2013
Enjoyable "what-if" of Elvis and the mystery he was investigating was good. There were enough questions left as to Aaron's personal life to make me want to get the next book when it comes out.
The big problem I had was the grammar and editing. There were several glaring mistakes that could have been easily remedied.
The big problem I had was the grammar and editing. There were several glaring mistakes that could have been easily remedied.
February 3, 2012
I absolutely adored this book! It was a fun, quick read. What if Elvis had a little plastic surgery done and was alive and well, making his living as private investigator? He only lets a couple choice people in on his secret of who he really is... All the time solving a mystery. Loved it!
March 13, 2013
The premise of this book is so silly that I almost didn't read it. That would have been a mistake. The book is charming and very entertaining. If you're looking for something fun to read, this is it.
November 25, 2011
I have to wonder if Lisa Marie has read this??? Just wondering....
April 7, 2024
5 STARS,INTRIGUING, MYSTERIOUS, DRAMA
I have been reading the many volumes of books that centered on the Sam Moon character & kept running across this books title, description, plus sometimes a few sample chapters to see if a reader was interested & I took a tiny break in my Sam Moon series to read this one.
J.R.Rain is a first class writer who has turned up volume in the departments of supernatural, fantasy, the fantastical, & a combination of them all plus places in-between. Intriguing is how I found the few Sample Chapters of this Novel or Novella. It was well written & does provide s good BLURB.
This fast paced modern day fantasy fiction set in the early 2022's gives mystery, lots of drama, & emotional outpourings from the main character to a lot of the characters. The characters regardless how small their role in this novel is reach out to others to share the burdens of their timely emotional overloads.
One of most moving was Aaron King's interaction with Beth Ann Morgan and her continued tradition; because I had tears falling on my cheeks while reading over her sheer joy over her encounter. Then Aaron's further encounters with people while battling inner wars that had already wasted him in a manner; but gave him a different outlook on the world now.
My most endearing things about the Aaron King character even though it made him a selfish person was his transformation meant one now liked, befriended, or loved him for being him, A. King & not the King, Elvis Aaron Presley. That type of stuff can weigh on a person's mind after awhile.
Loved the book, to bad it's not a series.
WARNING: VIOLENCE SEXUAL ACTIVITY MENTIONED
RECOMMEND
I have been reading the many volumes of books that centered on the Sam Moon character & kept running across this books title, description, plus sometimes a few sample chapters to see if a reader was interested & I took a tiny break in my Sam Moon series to read this one.
J.R.Rain is a first class writer who has turned up volume in the departments of supernatural, fantasy, the fantastical, & a combination of them all plus places in-between. Intriguing is how I found the few Sample Chapters of this Novel or Novella. It was well written & does provide s good BLURB.
This fast paced modern day fantasy fiction set in the early 2022's gives mystery, lots of drama, & emotional outpourings from the main character to a lot of the characters. The characters regardless how small their role in this novel is reach out to others to share the burdens of their timely emotional overloads.
One of most moving was Aaron King's interaction with Beth Ann Morgan and her continued tradition; because I had tears falling on my cheeks while reading over her sheer joy over her encounter. Then Aaron's further encounters with people while battling inner wars that had already wasted him in a manner; but gave him a different outlook on the world now.
My most endearing things about the Aaron King character even though it made him a selfish person was his transformation meant one now liked, befriended, or loved him for being him, A. King & not the King, Elvis Aaron Presley. That type of stuff can weigh on a person's mind after awhile.
Loved the book, to bad it's not a series.
WARNING: VIOLENCE SEXUAL ACTIVITY MENTIONED
RECOMMEND
February 25, 2025
A fun book that portrays Elvis Presley as a seventy-something private detective in Los Angeles. Elvis faked his death in the late 1970s and is now living alone in a cheap apartment with a rescue cat.
Going by the name Aaron King, Presley has a few contacts outside of business -- a sometimes girlfriend and a business manager who is the only person who knows the truth. Elvis is also considering a return to music as King via an open microphone night for talented amateurs at a local bar.
While this book isn't great literary writing, it is a fun fantasy into "what if," along with a sad look at those Presley left behind, his daughter Lisa Marie Presley.
To me, this book read like a well-written fantasy-fic piece, boosted by the fact that the author is a published writer in other genres. I recommend it for pure escapism and would rate it 2 and 1/2 stars if Goodreads had that option.
Going by the name Aaron King, Presley has a few contacts outside of business -- a sometimes girlfriend and a business manager who is the only person who knows the truth. Elvis is also considering a return to music as King via an open microphone night for talented amateurs at a local bar.
While this book isn't great literary writing, it is a fun fantasy into "what if," along with a sad look at those Presley left behind, his daughter Lisa Marie Presley.
To me, this book read like a well-written fantasy-fic piece, boosted by the fact that the author is a published writer in other genres. I recommend it for pure escapism and would rate it 2 and 1/2 stars if Goodreads had that option.
May 18, 2025
This Hard-Boiled Mystery is fascinating. Elvis Presley faked his death to escape the stress of his life. Finding that being old, broke, and single was stressful. Turned Private Detective, he hunts missing children, even adult missing children. Miranda, a rising starlet, has been missing for three days.
The story makes use of the potential grief of losing a twin and leaving loved ones behind to start a new life. Trust and insecurity are other issues motivating actions. Aaron King, Elvis's new persona, ultimately finds the missing woman, leaving a few bodies behind that act as distractions. A fine story. Quite entertaining.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Romantic. Scary. Tragic. Unpredictable. Wonderful characters.
The story makes use of the potential grief of losing a twin and leaving loved ones behind to start a new life. Trust and insecurity are other issues motivating actions. Aaron King, Elvis's new persona, ultimately finds the missing woman, leaving a few bodies behind that act as distractions. A fine story. Quite entertaining.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Romantic. Scary. Tragic. Unpredictable. Wonderful characters.
March 27, 2017
If only this were true Great story
I purchased this book not having any idea what to expect. Well let me tell ya son, I LOVE IT! I can see Elvis doing something like this. I thought it when he disappeared. But I was truly surprised. This is a very well written mystery. It is a good story, moves at a good pace and I could not put it down once I started it. It is 2:37am here in Texas and I am wide awake thinking what if.... I know one thing, I am a happy camper and if you are even a tiny bit of an Elvis fan, BUY THIS BOOK!
I purchased this book not having any idea what to expect. Well let me tell ya son, I LOVE IT! I can see Elvis doing something like this. I thought it when he disappeared. But I was truly surprised. This is a very well written mystery. It is a good story, moves at a good pace and I could not put it down once I started it. It is 2:37am here in Texas and I am wide awake thinking what if.... I know one thing, I am a happy camper and if you are even a tiny bit of an Elvis fan, BUY THIS BOOK!
May 12, 2018
Truly enjoyed this mystery
I truly enjoyed this mystery and would have given it 5⭐'s if there hadn't been so many editing mistakes! The were sentences missing words, or weren't in the proper order, or the wrong word altogether. There was even a an instance where the same sentence was repeated twice consecutively. The mystery itself was well plotted, and the mail character "Aaron" was interesting for the most part. The ending was unexpected if not surprising. Glad I read this one!
I truly enjoyed this mystery and would have given it 5⭐'s if there hadn't been so many editing mistakes! The were sentences missing words, or weren't in the proper order, or the wrong word altogether. There was even a an instance where the same sentence was repeated twice consecutively. The mystery itself was well plotted, and the mail character "Aaron" was interesting for the most part. The ending was unexpected if not surprising. Glad I read this one!
August 29, 2019
A JRR. Mystery Action Adventure (EHNLTB)
JRR. has penned a fictitious accounting of Elvis Pressley after death. In this novel he is old and hung up on Vicodin to avoid the pain of an old man. His girl friend suspects who he is. He accepts an investigative assignment to find a missing actress. He finds and rescues the actress and at the same time his daughter finds him. They meet again after many years in a karaoke bar and when he sees her he knows she knows who he is. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
JRR. has penned a fictitious accounting of Elvis Pressley after death. In this novel he is old and hung up on Vicodin to avoid the pain of an old man. His girl friend suspects who he is. He accepts an investigative assignment to find a missing actress. He finds and rescues the actress and at the same time his daughter finds him. They meet again after many years in a karaoke bar and when he sees her he knows she knows who he is. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS
June 2, 2023
Elvis Has not Left the Building
This is a very enjoyable book with interesting characters that are well developed and interface with each other creating a believable story line, that keeps the pages turning to see what is going to happen next. I have read several of J.R. Rains books. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read with a little mystery, humor, a few tears, and some romance. 2013
This is a very enjoyable book with interesting characters that are well developed and interface with each other creating a believable story line, that keeps the pages turning to see what is going to happen next. I have read several of J.R. Rains books. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read with a little mystery, humor, a few tears, and some romance. 2013
November 3, 2018
I first read J. R. Rain because I found one of his books for .99 when Kindle was still new and Amazon was trying to stir up interest.
His vampire series are entertaining, but this book is my favorite and I read it every few years.
And when we moved for my husband's job, we ended up living near Mr. Rain!
His vampire series are entertaining, but this book is my favorite and I read it every few years.
And when we moved for my husband's job, we ended up living near Mr. Rain!
September 6, 2019
A very good read
JR Rain gives us Elvis still alive in Los Angeles after faking his death now working as a Private Investigator trying to track down a missing Actresss surprisingly in places a little dark at times a little cheesy but a very good story you will love it if you're an Elvis fan which I am
JR Rain gives us Elvis still alive in Los Angeles after faking his death now working as a Private Investigator trying to track down a missing Actresss surprisingly in places a little dark at times a little cheesy but a very good story you will love it if you're an Elvis fan which I am
August 7, 2019
Don't do it!
Very disappointed....any true Elvis fan will be very disappointed. The lack of Elvis knowledge is amazing! I went into the book with high hopes, was very sad it didn't deliver...wasn't even a very good story. Don't waste your time.
Very disappointed....any true Elvis fan will be very disappointed. The lack of Elvis knowledge is amazing! I went into the book with high hopes, was very sad it didn't deliver...wasn't even a very good story. Don't waste your time.
June 8, 2021
Elvis has not left the building!
I gave this rating because the storyline was interesting. It is for adults due to the language. It had twist and turns and a great ending. This is an excellent author.
I gave this rating because the storyline was interesting. It is for adults due to the language. It had twist and turns and a great ending. This is an excellent author.
June 1, 2023
Elvis Lives
I hope Rain writes another book with Elvis. She's captured what I imagine he would be like if he still lived. Its beautifully written and the characters jump right off the page and into my heart. Well done ! A winner.
I hope Rain writes another book with Elvis. She's captured what I imagine he would be like if he still lived. Its beautifully written and the characters jump right off the page and into my heart. Well done ! A winner.
December 5, 2024
This one poses an intriguing question...what if Elvis really just killed himself off, had extreme plastic surgery, and moved somewhere else and started a new life?
In this case, his a 70-something P.I. in L.A.
I liked this one alot.
In this case, his a 70-something P.I. in L.A.
I liked this one alot.
September 24, 2017
A very entertaining little book. The far-fetched issue isn't that Elvis may have faked his own death but that he became a pretty decent PI.
May 3, 2018
Loved it!
Delightful tale of what could have happened to Elvis Presley. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I'm still a huge fan.
Delightful tale of what could have happened to Elvis Presley. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I'm still a huge fan.
May 26, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, in spite of the improbable plot. I wish it were true!!
October 3, 2018
Once again I have found a good book in this story. I found it hard to put it down until the end.
July 31, 2019
Elvis has not left the building
This book is so awesome, like a wish coming true!! I am a big Elvis fan. You did a great job with the this book!!!
Thank you so much!!!
This book is so awesome, like a wish coming true!! I am a big Elvis fan. You did a great job with the this book!!!
Thank you so much!!!
January 9, 2021
Nice take
This is a pretty interesting take on an aging private investigator. He has his demons but for all that, plays well with others. A good afternoon read.
This is a pretty interesting take on an aging private investigator. He has his demons but for all that, plays well with others. A good afternoon read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews