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Elvis Cole and Joe Pike #5
Voodoo River
L.A. private eye Elvis Cole is hired by popular television star Jodie Taylor to delve into her past and identify the biological parents who gave her up for adoption thirty-six years before. Cole's assignment is to find out their biological history and report back.
It seems all too clear cut. But when he gets to Louisiana and begins his search, he finds that there's something much darker going on. Other people are also looking for Taylor's parents, and some are ending up dead.
And when Cole realizes that his employer knew more than she was telling, Voodoo River becomes a twisting tale of identity, secrets, and murder.
It seems all too clear cut. But when he gets to Louisiana and begins his search, he finds that there's something much darker going on. Other people are also looking for Taylor's parents, and some are ending up dead.
And when Cole realizes that his employer knew more than she was telling, Voodoo River becomes a twisting tale of identity, secrets, and murder.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 1995
1200 people are currently reading
2894 people want to read
About the author
Robert Crais
179 books4,558 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 589 reviews
October 24, 2017
Crais surprised me again. Not so much with the mystery as a very sweet subplot that I didn't expect in a mystery-thriller. Connections from the last book have given Elvis more referrals from the movie world, and a famous small-screen actress Jodi Taylor is looking for the parents who gave her up as an infant. The trail takes Elvis to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, giving readers a change from the familiar L.A. scene.
When Elvis landed in a small town and started getting a feel for the place, I felt like I was there with him, from the local storefront BBQ and the people lined up during lunch, to the nosy librarian to the flavorful etouffee to the endlessly flat fields of sweet potatoes. Suddenly a lot of 'podnah' started seeping in. Turns out Crais is from Louisiana, so he comes by it honestly.
I enjoyed characterization quite a bit in the first part of the book. There's a lot of emotional complexity to Taylor. I appreciate that it wasn't just used to set up the investigation, but continues throughout the story. The case brings Elvis into contact with a lawyer (as always), and I appreciated the way Crais developed their interaction. I thought Elvis' excitement quite sweet, nostalgically recalling such moments myself.
Once again, Crais does interesting things with the typical mystery plot, where solving one issue leads to another. This time, however, it worked less well, feeling like it veered off into a very different direction, both in plotting and in atmosphere. Joe Pike makes his usual appearance for the action. He's fast becoming a sure-fire sign that things are about to come to a head.
Three and a half stars, rounding down because in context of the books I've read, this feels a little more uneven.
When Elvis landed in a small town and started getting a feel for the place, I felt like I was there with him, from the local storefront BBQ and the people lined up during lunch, to the nosy librarian to the flavorful etouffee to the endlessly flat fields of sweet potatoes. Suddenly a lot of 'podnah' started seeping in. Turns out Crais is from Louisiana, so he comes by it honestly.
I enjoyed characterization quite a bit in the first part of the book. There's a lot of emotional complexity to Taylor. I appreciate that it wasn't just used to set up the investigation, but continues throughout the story. The case brings Elvis into contact with a lawyer (as always), and I appreciated the way Crais developed their interaction. I thought Elvis' excitement quite sweet, nostalgically recalling such moments myself.
Once again, Crais does interesting things with the typical mystery plot, where solving one issue leads to another. This time, however, it worked less well, feeling like it veered off into a very different direction, both in plotting and in atmosphere. Joe Pike makes his usual appearance for the action. He's fast becoming a sure-fire sign that things are about to come to a head.
Three and a half stars, rounding down because in context of the books I've read, this feels a little more uneven.
May 17, 2012
Elvis Cole is hired to find the birth parents of a TV star. He and Pike head to Baton Rouge and quickly uncover more than they bargained for. Can Cole and Pike find Jodie Taylor's birth parents and leave Lousiana with their hides intact?
It's been a lot time since my last Robert Crais book. Too long, in fact. Voodoo River is a prime example of why I stuck with Crais despite my initial impression that he was ripping off Robert B. Parker's Spenser.
In this outing, Cole's case takes him to Louisiana and quickly spirals out of control, par for the course for Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. I liked that Lucy Chenier was introduced as a recurring love interest for Elvis, even though I didn't quite buy how their relationship unfolded. Pike showed a little more depth but was pretty much along to get his hands dirty so Elvis wouldn't have to. Elvis continues to grow on me as a character. He's not the Spenser ripoff with a collection of quirks I almost dismissed him as in the first book.
The plot took off in a direction I never expected, something that always gets high marks for me. Kudos to whomever wrote the back cover of the book for not giving anything away.
If this was one of the first couple Elvis Cole books I read, I'd be tempted to give it a 5. However, I can't justify giving it more than a four for the following reason. It seems like the Elvis Cole books always follow the same pattern. Elvis and Joe keep poking around and poking around until they bad guys are good and mad and maneuver them into a bloody shootout at the end. While it was a really exciting book and I liked the twists, it followed the same basic pattern as the others. Still, it's firmly in four territory.
It's been a lot time since my last Robert Crais book. Too long, in fact. Voodoo River is a prime example of why I stuck with Crais despite my initial impression that he was ripping off Robert B. Parker's Spenser.
In this outing, Cole's case takes him to Louisiana and quickly spirals out of control, par for the course for Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. I liked that Lucy Chenier was introduced as a recurring love interest for Elvis, even though I didn't quite buy how their relationship unfolded. Pike showed a little more depth but was pretty much along to get his hands dirty so Elvis wouldn't have to. Elvis continues to grow on me as a character. He's not the Spenser ripoff with a collection of quirks I almost dismissed him as in the first book.
The plot took off in a direction I never expected, something that always gets high marks for me. Kudos to whomever wrote the back cover of the book for not giving anything away.
If this was one of the first couple Elvis Cole books I read, I'd be tempted to give it a 5. However, I can't justify giving it more than a four for the following reason. It seems like the Elvis Cole books always follow the same pattern. Elvis and Joe keep poking around and poking around until they bad guys are good and mad and maneuver them into a bloody shootout at the end. While it was a really exciting book and I liked the twists, it followed the same basic pattern as the others. Still, it's firmly in four territory.
March 24, 2021
Voodoo River (1995) was the fifth book in the Elvis Cole series, and having begun to reread the books in order, I would argue that this was the best in the series up to that point.
As the book opens, Elvis is hired by a famous television star named Jodie Taylor. Taylor's mother gave her up at birth thirty-six years ago. She was adopted by a loving couple and regards them as the only parents she ever had or ever needed. However, she now wants Elvis to identify her birth parents. She says that she doesn't want to meet them but she does want to know if there are any medical issues in her biological family that she should be aware of.
Cole takes the case and flies to Louisiana where Taylor was born. Naturally, as soon as he begins digging into Taylor's past, all sorts of dark secrets emerge that will cause problems for Elvis, for his client, and for a lot of other people too. Other people may be digging into Taylor's past as well and Cole finds himself entangled with some very nasty customers. Inevitably, he will have to call upon his partner, Joe Pike, and, as usually happens in these books, Cole and Pike will find themselves in a major battle before all is said and done.
The plot is fairly complex and interesting, but of special interest here is the setting. Robert Crais is a native of Louisiana, and unlike the previous Cole novels all of which took place mostly in and around southern California, Voodoo River takes place almost entirely in the Pelican State. Crais knows the territory well, and once immersed in the book, the reader feels like he or she has been transported to Louisiana.
The other notable thing about the book is that it's here that Cole meets Lucy Chenier, a Baton Rouge attorney who has a young son named Ben. A portion of the book is given over to the relationship that develops between Cole and Chenier, and it gives nothing away to note that this will be the beginning of a long-standing relationship between the two.
If I have any complaint about the book it is that . That's a relatively small complaint, though, and overall, I really enjoyed the book. Elvis Cole is definitely growing on me.
As the book opens, Elvis is hired by a famous television star named Jodie Taylor. Taylor's mother gave her up at birth thirty-six years ago. She was adopted by a loving couple and regards them as the only parents she ever had or ever needed. However, she now wants Elvis to identify her birth parents. She says that she doesn't want to meet them but she does want to know if there are any medical issues in her biological family that she should be aware of.
Cole takes the case and flies to Louisiana where Taylor was born. Naturally, as soon as he begins digging into Taylor's past, all sorts of dark secrets emerge that will cause problems for Elvis, for his client, and for a lot of other people too. Other people may be digging into Taylor's past as well and Cole finds himself entangled with some very nasty customers. Inevitably, he will have to call upon his partner, Joe Pike, and, as usually happens in these books, Cole and Pike will find themselves in a major battle before all is said and done.
The plot is fairly complex and interesting, but of special interest here is the setting. Robert Crais is a native of Louisiana, and unlike the previous Cole novels all of which took place mostly in and around southern California, Voodoo River takes place almost entirely in the Pelican State. Crais knows the territory well, and once immersed in the book, the reader feels like he or she has been transported to Louisiana.
The other notable thing about the book is that it's here that Cole meets Lucy Chenier, a Baton Rouge attorney who has a young son named Ben. A portion of the book is given over to the relationship that develops between Cole and Chenier, and it gives nothing away to note that this will be the beginning of a long-standing relationship between the two.
If I have any complaint about the book it is that . That's a relatively small complaint, though, and overall, I really enjoyed the book. Elvis Cole is definitely growing on me.
September 16, 2017
Nothing deep or convoluted here. Just a basic, entertaining mystery. I listened to this book and I'm having trouble with the narrator's voice. It's just not how I've imagined Elvis Cole.
January 7, 2012
Elvis Cole - Cajun style!
Jodi Taylor is an actress starring on a hit TV show who was adopted. She hires Elvis to track down her birth parents but claims she just wants her medical history. Elvis journeys to Louisiana, but what seems like a routine case soon turns into a tangled mess of blackmail and murder.
Robert Crais is originally from Louisiana, and he brings some real depth to his depiction of the area and it’s people. You can feel the humidity as he describes Elvis making his way through bayou country. Plus, he does such a great job of describing the food that I wanted fly to New Orleans just to get some etouffee.
The mystery and action in this one are very solid, but overall the story just didn’t grab me as much as the previous two novels did. There’s a subplot with Elvis romancing a beautiful lawyer that I could have lived without, but it wasn’t overly distracting from the main story. As usual, my favorite parts revolved around scenes where Elvis and his partner Joe Pike work together. The two of them are rapidly becoming one of my favorite buddy teams in crime stories.
Jodi Taylor is an actress starring on a hit TV show who was adopted. She hires Elvis to track down her birth parents but claims she just wants her medical history. Elvis journeys to Louisiana, but what seems like a routine case soon turns into a tangled mess of blackmail and murder.
Robert Crais is originally from Louisiana, and he brings some real depth to his depiction of the area and it’s people. You can feel the humidity as he describes Elvis making his way through bayou country. Plus, he does such a great job of describing the food that I wanted fly to New Orleans just to get some etouffee.
The mystery and action in this one are very solid, but overall the story just didn’t grab me as much as the previous two novels did. There’s a subplot with Elvis romancing a beautiful lawyer that I could have lived without, but it wasn’t overly distracting from the main story. As usual, my favorite parts revolved around scenes where Elvis and his partner Joe Pike work together. The two of them are rapidly becoming one of my favorite buddy teams in crime stories.
August 2, 2023
Another great read. It was a little slower than Free Fall, but still very good. I love the Cole/Pike dynamic. I haven’t read a lot of Robert B. Parker, but I can definitely see his influence on Robert Crais vis-à-vis the Spenser-like dialogue.
September 15, 2020
3.5 Stars
No Voodoo and No River.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Again, uneven pacing and dialogue. This could have been better.
A nice romance here, Elvis meets the love of his life.
Dan Wesson revolver, carried by Elvis
Full size image here
Pike's Colt Python
Full size image here
Notes and Quotes:
7.0% Short sentences. Cornball humour. Condescending arrogance. By-the-numbers plot development. Zzzzzzz.
24.0% Craig's had settled down now, and the pacing and prose are fine. A bit more complexity in the plot and characters. Honestly, I find the sweet little romance more fun than the detection. "Studly Do-Right" cute.
So we watched The Next Generation (Star Trek). It was the one where you follow the android, Data, through a twenty-four-hour period in his life, most of which is spent attempting to comprehend the vagaries of the humans around him. The fun comes in watching the logical, emotionless Data try to make sense of the human condition, which is akin to trying to make sense of the senseless. He never quite gets it, but he always keeps trying, writing endless programs for his android brain, trying to make the calculus of human behavior add up. When you think about it, that is not so different from what I do.
-
Maybe Jimmie Ray had finally realized that he was in over his head and had called for help. That was possible. A lot of things are possible until you're dead.
-
...somewhere near his final moment a young woman had called and said that she loved him. I wondered if he had played back the message. Jimmie Ray Rebenack was just the kind of guy who would have missed the message, or, if he'd heard it, wouldn't have listened. Guys like Jimmie Ray never quite learn that love doesn't visit often, and that even when it comes, it can always change its mind and walk away. You never know.
-
Jodi Taylor blinked hard several times and had more of the scotch. The cat crept out onto the deck and sat downwind, barely visible in the dark. Watching. I often consider, Does he wonder at the human heart?
-
The Polara and the Cadillac were at the foot of the building, along with a couple of two-and-a-half-ton trucks. Both of the trucks were idling, their exhausts breathing white plumes into the damp air like waiting beasts. Pike and I slipped off the road and into the sawgrass. I said, "Pod people." Pike looked at me. "It's like the nursery Kevin McCarthy discovers in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The one where the pod people are growing more pods and loading them onto trucks to be shipped all over the country." Pike shook his head and turned back to the building. "You're something."
Robert Crais
Full size image here
There are at least two of Robert's works that he wrote from the heart, with visible love and wonder and care, my very favourites:
1. The Man Who Knew Dick Bong
My review of the collection of short stories by authors honouring Marlowe: Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe
2. Suspect about the detective, Scott, and his dog, Maggie. Robert took the 2 month dog handling course at LAPD before writing this book, and he told me personally how much he loved it. I could see how special this experience was to him.
My review of Suspect
.
No Voodoo and No River.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
Again, uneven pacing and dialogue. This could have been better.
A nice romance here, Elvis meets the love of his life.
Dan Wesson revolver, carried by Elvis
Full size image here
Pike's Colt Python
Full size image here
Notes and Quotes:
7.0% Short sentences. Cornball humour. Condescending arrogance. By-the-numbers plot development. Zzzzzzz.
24.0% Craig's had settled down now, and the pacing and prose are fine. A bit more complexity in the plot and characters. Honestly, I find the sweet little romance more fun than the detection. "Studly Do-Right" cute.
So we watched The Next Generation (Star Trek). It was the one where you follow the android, Data, through a twenty-four-hour period in his life, most of which is spent attempting to comprehend the vagaries of the humans around him. The fun comes in watching the logical, emotionless Data try to make sense of the human condition, which is akin to trying to make sense of the senseless. He never quite gets it, but he always keeps trying, writing endless programs for his android brain, trying to make the calculus of human behavior add up. When you think about it, that is not so different from what I do.
-
Maybe Jimmie Ray had finally realized that he was in over his head and had called for help. That was possible. A lot of things are possible until you're dead.
-
...somewhere near his final moment a young woman had called and said that she loved him. I wondered if he had played back the message. Jimmie Ray Rebenack was just the kind of guy who would have missed the message, or, if he'd heard it, wouldn't have listened. Guys like Jimmie Ray never quite learn that love doesn't visit often, and that even when it comes, it can always change its mind and walk away. You never know.
-
Jodi Taylor blinked hard several times and had more of the scotch. The cat crept out onto the deck and sat downwind, barely visible in the dark. Watching. I often consider, Does he wonder at the human heart?
-
The Polara and the Cadillac were at the foot of the building, along with a couple of two-and-a-half-ton trucks. Both of the trucks were idling, their exhausts breathing white plumes into the damp air like waiting beasts. Pike and I slipped off the road and into the sawgrass. I said, "Pod people." Pike looked at me. "It's like the nursery Kevin McCarthy discovers in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The one where the pod people are growing more pods and loading them onto trucks to be shipped all over the country." Pike shook his head and turned back to the building. "You're something."
Robert Crais
Full size image here
There are at least two of Robert's works that he wrote from the heart, with visible love and wonder and care, my very favourites:
1. The Man Who Knew Dick Bong
My review of the collection of short stories by authors honouring Marlowe: Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe
2. Suspect about the detective, Scott, and his dog, Maggie. Robert took the 2 month dog handling course at LAPD before writing this book, and he told me personally how much he loved it. I could see how special this experience was to him.
My review of Suspect
.
May 16, 2025
2nd read - Enjoyable Crais story, with Elvis in the middle of the Hollywood elite and their lies, and the Louisiana smuggling of illegal immigrants. A blossoming love story starts with Lucy, a beautiful, smart lawyer with a son, who is Elvis' liaison down South. Thankfully, he has Pike to drolly pull his fat from the fire.
1st read - Elvis is hired by a Hollywood agent to investigate the birth family of a famous television actress. He heads to Louisiana, and along the way encounters boudin sausage, a beautiful lawyer, a 200 lb. 100 yr. old snapping turtle named "Luther", some conflicting smugglers, a "mutant" cajun, a mysterious gentleman sympathetic to Hispanic immigrants, and a Raid spraying, Old Crow-drinking midwife.
1st read - Elvis is hired by a Hollywood agent to investigate the birth family of a famous television actress. He heads to Louisiana, and along the way encounters boudin sausage, a beautiful lawyer, a 200 lb. 100 yr. old snapping turtle named "Luther", some conflicting smugglers, a "mutant" cajun, a mysterious gentleman sympathetic to Hispanic immigrants, and a Raid spraying, Old Crow-drinking midwife.
August 27, 2020
3.5 stars
A fun read. I really enjoyed Elvis falling head over heels for Lucy. It’s not often you see a tough guy PI ga ga for a woman who doesn’t immediately telegraph a positive reaction.
The other notable moment was a scene approximately 40ish % into the book between Elvis, the studio boss, Jodie, and Jodie’s sleazy agent/manager. It was the perfect trifecta of race, class, and gender whipped up into a super nasty and realistic blend. Crais’ rendition of the ways in which powerful people manipulate race, gender and class and the fear of those who feel the lack of that power is pitch perfect. It was a slap in the face reminding me that there is nothing new about people exposing bone deep injustice and inequality. What’s new is that at least for a while more than a few people and organizations and businesses are paying attention and taking action.
A fun read. I really enjoyed Elvis falling head over heels for Lucy. It’s not often you see a tough guy PI ga ga for a woman who doesn’t immediately telegraph a positive reaction.
The other notable moment was a scene approximately 40ish % into the book between Elvis, the studio boss, Jodie, and Jodie’s sleazy agent/manager. It was the perfect trifecta of race, class, and gender whipped up into a super nasty and realistic blend. Crais’ rendition of the ways in which powerful people manipulate race, gender and class and the fear of those who feel the lack of that power is pitch perfect. It was a slap in the face reminding me that there is nothing new about people exposing bone deep injustice and inequality. What’s new is that at least for a while more than a few people and organizations and businesses are paying attention and taking action.
April 2, 2017
Private Investigator Elvis Cole’s fifth outing is reputed to be one of Crais’ best. Ostensibly about a search for the medical history of a popular TV actress who was adopted as a child, once in her home state of Louisiana Cole finds things are more complicated than expected. The process of the untangling her past brings to light other reprehensible activities permeating a small parish about an hour outside of Baton Rouge. It is the early stages of the investigation that keeps this from being a great novel. The first six chapters or so, some seventy pages, are deathly dull, saved only by Cole’s attraction to, and his personal pursuit of, the female attorney with whom he is assigned to work. As adoption law and Louisiana are both unfamiliar territory to him, she is a necessary touchstone, and their interaction, professionally and otherwise, helps alleviate the boredom until the case takes off. But once it does, Voodoo River deserves it reputation. You will spot the mistake that ruins Cole’s plan and leads to the riveting conclusion, and unlike in previous novels, this time the mistake is not Cole’s. As usual, Cole’s laconic partner Joe Pike is on hand once backup is needed, a presences that is always welcome. All things considered, Voodoo River is well worth the trip.
August 30, 2024
I read this book many years ago, but didn't really remember the story so when audible discounted the audiobook, I bought it. Robert Crais is truly one of the best storytellers of my generation. I love the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike books. Even though some of the older titles are a bit outdated (i.e. no cell phones or the ease of walking someone to the gate at an airport, plus Elvis having served in Vietnam -- he'd be a little old to do what he does now) the story itself holds over time. You can never go wrong picking up a Robert Crais book. I am very much excited for his upcoming release, already pre-ordered the audio.
December 6, 2014
Very good read. Elvis goes to Baton Rouge to help an adoptee find her birth parents. He begins his relationship with Lucy Chenier, which carries forward in ups and downs for the remainder of the series. When he discovers his client is being blackmailed, he brings Joe Pike to the scene. You just know, it being Louisiana, that double-cross is coming. And you just know that Joe will somehow rescue Elvis from a seemingly hopeless situation. If you like Crais, you will like this one too.
December 15, 2024
This is another series I’ve read in random order. I can’t recall which book I read first - an early one I didn’t much like, I think. Yes, it took me a while to grow to fully appreciate Elvis. Of the twenty books in the series (some focused on Cole’s henchman Joe Pike) I’ve now read thirteen. I initially failed to appreciate the witty repartee between Elvis and (usually) whomever he was hoping would pay for his investigative services. To the uninitiated, this element sometimes - maybe often, perhaps always - sits slightly uncomfortably with action scenes that follow, which are always gritty and often deadly. It took me a couple of books before I found myself starting to actually appreciate the marriage of these moods in Cole’s adventures.
As a case in point, for a large segment of this tale, I found myself laughing out loud at the dialogue. However, the final section of the book is a cleverly constructed set piece - one which something like half of the participants won’t survive. I won’t go into the plot too deeply, all you need to know is that LA based Cole finds himself in the Deep South, neck deep in a mystery surrounding a baby who was given up for adoption some decades before. The story introduces a rich mix of characters embroiled in a somewhat complex tale, which rattles along at a decent pace. As I have with most of the books in this series, I turned the final page wishing I had another Elvis Cole adventure already lined up. I haven’t, but I know I’ll put that right soon.
As a case in point, for a large segment of this tale, I found myself laughing out loud at the dialogue. However, the final section of the book is a cleverly constructed set piece - one which something like half of the participants won’t survive. I won’t go into the plot too deeply, all you need to know is that LA based Cole finds himself in the Deep South, neck deep in a mystery surrounding a baby who was given up for adoption some decades before. The story introduces a rich mix of characters embroiled in a somewhat complex tale, which rattles along at a decent pace. As I have with most of the books in this series, I turned the final page wishing I had another Elvis Cole adventure already lined up. I haven’t, but I know I’ll put that right soon.
January 24, 2019
I'm being kind with the 3 star read. I added 1 star cause I just love the Elvis Cole character. Nothing really that great here, just your typical Hollywood gal wanting to know who here real parents are.. blah..blah..blah.... I will admit, I skimmed through a lot of this book- but, I am reading them in order so I hope the next one will be good. Can't believe this book was published in 1995! And the series is still going strong.
February 13, 2024
Elvis Cole finds love in the bayou. It’s uncharacteristically sweet too. I love Lucy.
Cole is hired to find the background on an actress who was adopted. Little does he know this was a false errand. Like always, chaos ensues.
This one has many twists and turns. Some you will see coming…others you will not. Pike comes to Louisiana to help. High body count but the good guys prevail.
I’m really enjoying this series. It’s interesting to read a detective series set in the 90s..written at this time where there are no cell phones, you could smoke everywhere and the airport had minimal security. It’s hard to believe it was only a short time ago. Off to read the next one…
Cole is hired to find the background on an actress who was adopted. Little does he know this was a false errand. Like always, chaos ensues.
This one has many twists and turns. Some you will see coming…others you will not. Pike comes to Louisiana to help. High body count but the good guys prevail.
I’m really enjoying this series. It’s interesting to read a detective series set in the 90s..written at this time where there are no cell phones, you could smoke everywhere and the airport had minimal security. It’s hard to believe it was only a short time ago. Off to read the next one…
October 1, 2016
Returning to my reading of Robert Crais's Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series, I've reached entry number five, Voodoo River. I think it may be my favorite so far, although it's hard to say just why that is.
It follows the by now familiar formula. Elvis, "The World's Greatest Detective," is hired by someone in trouble, usually a beautiful woman, to extricate her from that trouble. He noodles around doing his detecting thing until he more or less stumbles into a theory of what's going on and how to solve the problem, at which point his more deadly partner, Joe Pike, enters the game and the two of them clean up Dodge, usually with a lot of gunfire involved.
I think perhaps my liking of this book may have something to do with its setting. Most of the action takes place in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, places that I have visited and have some familiarity with, so perhaps it was easier for me to enter into the action. Anyway, for whatever reason, it was an entertaining read.
The story this time is that Elvis is contacted by television star Jodie Taylor and her agent Sid to look into Jodie's past. She was adopted as a baby back in Louisiana and has no idea who her birth parents were. Now she wants to find out about her biological background and she hires Elvis for the job.
Elvis heads to Baton Rouge where he meets the lawyer representing Jodie's interests there, Lucy Chenier. There is an instant attraction between the two and it is clear where this is headed.
Elvis begins his investigation and soon starts to turn up evidence of a darker reality that is happening among the bayous around Baton Rouge, something more complicated than the biological history of one thirty-six year old woman.
He notices that there seem to be an unusually large number of Hispanics working in the area. A bit more digging reveals that there is a flourishing human smuggling operation going on that brings undocumented immigrants up the river from the Gulf Coast to work processing fish and crayfish. The immigrants are under the radar with no protection of the law and they are being terribly exploited and sometimes killed. It's an injustice that Elvis Cole, Righter of Wrongs, cannot let stand.
Soon Joe Pike arrives on the scene and the action kicks up a notch.
Meanwhile, Elvis has uncovered the history and origins of his client. (Well, actually, a local PI uncovered it and Elvis stole the information from his office files, but let's not quibble over details.) Once again things get complicated as it develops that the local PI was trying to blackmail Elvis' client with the information that would have been shameful 36 years before and still might cause some problems in 1995 when this book was written. It's interesting to contemplate how things have changed in the last twenty-one years. Things that might then have been considered scandalous no longer are.
As always, Crais keeps the plot moving along briskly. It's a plot that has a lot of meat on it with interracial relationships and mixed race children, as well as the element of the smuggling and exploitation of immigrants. Moreover, the two new characters, Lucy Chenier and her son, are appealing and serve to give a bit more depth to Elvis' personality. From what I understand, these become recurring characters, so it will be interesting to see how those relationships develop in future books.
All in all, a very satisfying read. The bad guys get their comeuppance. Righteousness reigns in the end and once again Elvis Cole has managed to serve his client's interests and to come out smelling like a rose. Not an easy task in hot and humid Louisiana.
It follows the by now familiar formula. Elvis, "The World's Greatest Detective," is hired by someone in trouble, usually a beautiful woman, to extricate her from that trouble. He noodles around doing his detecting thing until he more or less stumbles into a theory of what's going on and how to solve the problem, at which point his more deadly partner, Joe Pike, enters the game and the two of them clean up Dodge, usually with a lot of gunfire involved.
I think perhaps my liking of this book may have something to do with its setting. Most of the action takes place in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, places that I have visited and have some familiarity with, so perhaps it was easier for me to enter into the action. Anyway, for whatever reason, it was an entertaining read.
The story this time is that Elvis is contacted by television star Jodie Taylor and her agent Sid to look into Jodie's past. She was adopted as a baby back in Louisiana and has no idea who her birth parents were. Now she wants to find out about her biological background and she hires Elvis for the job.
Elvis heads to Baton Rouge where he meets the lawyer representing Jodie's interests there, Lucy Chenier. There is an instant attraction between the two and it is clear where this is headed.
Elvis begins his investigation and soon starts to turn up evidence of a darker reality that is happening among the bayous around Baton Rouge, something more complicated than the biological history of one thirty-six year old woman.
He notices that there seem to be an unusually large number of Hispanics working in the area. A bit more digging reveals that there is a flourishing human smuggling operation going on that brings undocumented immigrants up the river from the Gulf Coast to work processing fish and crayfish. The immigrants are under the radar with no protection of the law and they are being terribly exploited and sometimes killed. It's an injustice that Elvis Cole, Righter of Wrongs, cannot let stand.
Soon Joe Pike arrives on the scene and the action kicks up a notch.
Meanwhile, Elvis has uncovered the history and origins of his client. (Well, actually, a local PI uncovered it and Elvis stole the information from his office files, but let's not quibble over details.) Once again things get complicated as it develops that the local PI was trying to blackmail Elvis' client with the information that would have been shameful 36 years before and still might cause some problems in 1995 when this book was written. It's interesting to contemplate how things have changed in the last twenty-one years. Things that might then have been considered scandalous no longer are.
As always, Crais keeps the plot moving along briskly. It's a plot that has a lot of meat on it with interracial relationships and mixed race children, as well as the element of the smuggling and exploitation of immigrants. Moreover, the two new characters, Lucy Chenier and her son, are appealing and serve to give a bit more depth to Elvis' personality. From what I understand, these become recurring characters, so it will be interesting to see how those relationships develop in future books.
All in all, a very satisfying read. The bad guys get their comeuppance. Righteousness reigns in the end and once again Elvis Cole has managed to serve his client's interests and to come out smelling like a rose. Not an easy task in hot and humid Louisiana.
February 5, 2022
The first of an Elvis Cole double-header for me as I slowly and sporadically work my way through the series written several years ago.
Elvis is different to most other main characters I read. I see him as a bit of light relief while satisfying my usual need for action, suspense, mystery and occasional violence. With his offbeat sense of humour, from his office filled with trivia like his beloved Pinocchio clock, to his self-deprecating outlook on his life, to his affectionate and admiring descriptions of the inimitable Joe Pike, he's someone I can always warm to and makes me smile frequently while reading along.
Another case for the rich and famous takes him away from LA to Louisiana (hence the title), where Elvis finds culture, violence, and even love. The case appears simple, and in reality is almost as simple as it seems, but that leads on to something else and before you know it Elvis is up to his neck in alligators - not literally, but close to it!
Although I'm still early in the series (playing catch-up while juggling it with so many other want--to-reads), this stands out so far as one of the best Elvis stories, even if others might feature more humour or more action. I was happy to find that some threads from this book carry into the next one which I read immediately after. Elvis is one of life's true good guys, with a sense of honour and right, a bit like Harry Bosch another of my favourite characters - but the two are very, very different people even for their similarities.
I think you could read any of the first 4 Cole books as stand-alone reads, but I'm getting the sense that this is where it starts being a series in the fuller sense, and progressing in order appears to be the best way to do it. Whether you are as obsessive as me about reading in order or not, however, this is an excellent book and I highly recommend it
Elvis is different to most other main characters I read. I see him as a bit of light relief while satisfying my usual need for action, suspense, mystery and occasional violence. With his offbeat sense of humour, from his office filled with trivia like his beloved Pinocchio clock, to his self-deprecating outlook on his life, to his affectionate and admiring descriptions of the inimitable Joe Pike, he's someone I can always warm to and makes me smile frequently while reading along.
Another case for the rich and famous takes him away from LA to Louisiana (hence the title), where Elvis finds culture, violence, and even love. The case appears simple, and in reality is almost as simple as it seems, but that leads on to something else and before you know it Elvis is up to his neck in alligators - not literally, but close to it!
Although I'm still early in the series (playing catch-up while juggling it with so many other want--to-reads), this stands out so far as one of the best Elvis stories, even if others might feature more humour or more action. I was happy to find that some threads from this book carry into the next one which I read immediately after. Elvis is one of life's true good guys, with a sense of honour and right, a bit like Harry Bosch another of my favourite characters - but the two are very, very different people even for their similarities.
I think you could read any of the first 4 Cole books as stand-alone reads, but I'm getting the sense that this is where it starts being a series in the fuller sense, and progressing in order appears to be the best way to do it. Whether you are as obsessive as me about reading in order or not, however, this is an excellent book and I highly recommend it
February 24, 2014
Enjoyed this one by Crais, especially because we get to meet Lucille Chenier, who will be a key figure in future Elvis Cole adventures. I'll give Voodoo River 3 Stars as we do have to wait to the very end for the inevitable action. Joe Pike is here, always a great partner to have when the stuff hits the fan. Can't tell you the criminal action at the root of the story but the action begins when a Hollywood star hires Elvis to find out what happened in the past. A good read.
September 4, 2012
(sings) Ohm good. Ohm good!
April 21, 2013
Free Fall is better. This story is more tedious to the point of boredom. 4 of 10 stars
March 20, 2016
Book 5 in the Elvis Cole series and another great read!
September 13, 2020
A famous actress hires Elvis Cole to look into her past. The investigation takes Cole to the Louisiana bayou where, of course, things get pretty interesting. I was interested to find out the Robert Crais is from Louisiana, which gives authenticity to his descriptions of Louisiana culture and cuisine. This is another very good entry in the Elvis Cole series which I highly recommend!
June 22, 2017
An inventive and thoughtful plot. Pulling into clarity and full definition the range and depth of racism in the USA, and the heartbreak, endless emptying of souls, and complete absurdity of it. In Crais' novel 'good' people are trapped by racism's taint, not just in the South, but on Happy Nordic TV.
Our LA based detective with the made-for-TV name Elvis Cole is sent to Louisiana on one task which morphs into a bigger and much uglier one, or many. Elvis is a mid-1990s Bogart with a tad of Groucho’s self deprecating humor. His eye for clothing - details of which made me wonder if Crais (or Elvis?) was (were?) gay. Silly assumption either way. Oh, and no voodoo.
Having spent enough time in the South (volunteering as a physician with Common Ground after Katrina, and uncountable visits) to know it a bit, and found the descriptions spot-on. The heat, the smells, the deep-fried food, and the poignant i-gave-up-long-ago in the faces of some, especially after August 2005, all true.
The writing was engaging and sometimes funny. But the lucidity with which the deep institutional racism that seems like the backbone of America, then and now, is written without being named, was what I loved best about this book.
Our LA based detective with the made-for-TV name Elvis Cole is sent to Louisiana on one task which morphs into a bigger and much uglier one, or many. Elvis is a mid-1990s Bogart with a tad of Groucho’s self deprecating humor. His eye for clothing - details of which made me wonder if Crais (or Elvis?) was (were?) gay. Silly assumption either way. Oh, and no voodoo.
Having spent enough time in the South (volunteering as a physician with Common Ground after Katrina, and uncountable visits) to know it a bit, and found the descriptions spot-on. The heat, the smells, the deep-fried food, and the poignant i-gave-up-long-ago in the faces of some, especially after August 2005, all true.
The writing was engaging and sometimes funny. But the lucidity with which the deep institutional racism that seems like the backbone of America, then and now, is written without being named, was what I loved best about this book.
November 3, 2011
Liked it a lot but I just like Crais' writing, period. This was introduced Lucy which is Elvis' love interest and I like her, too. Elvis is such a great character, just love the guy. One sentence when he was talked about Pike made me just laugh out loud. I love it when I read something that makes me laugh like that. Re-read the paragraph a couple of time, and yes, it was, to me, a laugh out loud couple of sentences. With that said, wish I knew how to give 1/2 star because I would if I could, bump to 3 1/2 stars. Know I'm repeating myself but I just love Elvis Cole! (Loved Elvis Presley, too, but won't get into that.)
September 9, 2014
I have actually read the next book (#6) in the series, and what a far superior book 6 is than this entry. Voodoo River was way too convoluted, in need of a lot of editing & at times, just plain ridiculous. The characters were overwritten & cartoonish in their presentation. I really like this series, but if pressed for time, I would advise a reader to skip this misstep & go directly to fabulous number 6 in the series.
January 10, 2019
Good mix of humor, seriousness, and sadness. Addresses some issues of adoption that most of us probably never thought about. I think Cole's humor fits in well, without going overboard. And Pike's humor, is as usual, very subtle and understated.
Also, The talk about the Louisiana cuisine made me hungry. I have some family there, and have visited a few times, but I had never even heard of boudin sausage, but it sounds really good.
Also, The talk about the Louisiana cuisine made me hungry. I have some family there, and have visited a few times, but I had never even heard of boudin sausage, but it sounds really good.
November 15, 2025
Number 5 in the series and a trip to Louisiana has Elvis investigating who are a famous actress parents and falling in love. Cole uncovers a tangled mess involving blackmail and murder with danger at every turn. Some nice descriptions of Baton Rouge and the landscape. The characters though need more description and building up with the villains one dimensional.
The story accelerates towards a lethal ending when Joe Pike joins him in the Louisiana mire. The bayous and New Orleans as well as a snapping turtle all feature in this easy to read book. I picked up five or so books of the series and am thoroughly enjoying reading them.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Joe and Cole organize a meeting between the people traffickers and Rossier the chief bad guy. Alas, one of the deputies is on Rossier’s payroll so there is an ambush with Estrada killed and Cole, Lucy and the sheriff captured until Pike comes along to save them.
A snappy agonizing ending for Rossier.
The story accelerates towards a lethal ending when Joe Pike joins him in the Louisiana mire. The bayous and New Orleans as well as a snapping turtle all feature in this easy to read book. I picked up five or so books of the series and am thoroughly enjoying reading them.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Joe and Cole organize a meeting between the people traffickers and Rossier the chief bad guy. Alas, one of the deputies is on Rossier’s payroll so there is an ambush with Estrada killed and Cole, Lucy and the sheriff captured until Pike comes along to save them.
A snappy agonizing ending for Rossier.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2021
It’s interesting how you can go from a simple investigation into an adoption to a complete bloodbath. Of course, being an Elvis Cole/Joe Pike novel, this is what I’ve come to expect and love. This particular story brings us to Louisiana and I felt as if I actually took the trip there myself. Crais does a great job of making the reader feel the essence of Louisiana, the sights, smells, people, and especially the food. I really enjoyed the different characters, good and bad, and my taste buds were watering most of the time. Always enjoy these books and look forward to the next one.
June 21, 2018
Nothing to dislike here. Crais' detective Elvis Cole is a likeable, wise-cracking presence in a serviceable mystery with the usual healthy dollop of violence towards the end of the novel. Cole's sidekick, Joe Pike, is as enigmatic as ever and the supporting cast engaging. Moving Cole out of his comfort zone and into the deep south is interesting, even if there are times the novel starts to read more like a foodie travelogue.
Professionally written and the author makes it easy to forgive the plentiful cliches and tropes because of the sheer entertainment value of the novel.
Professionally written and the author makes it easy to forgive the plentiful cliches and tropes because of the sheer entertainment value of the novel.
November 20, 2018
Elvis Cole is hired by television star, Jodie Taylor, to discover her biological parents who gave her up for adoption 36 years ago. A simple adoption investigation turns into something much more. He discovers illegal immigration and much more. Exciting book. Elvis meets Lucy Chenier, a lawyer in Baton Rouge, who will be his love interest in future books.
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