L.A. Requiem (Elvis Cole Novels)
by Robert Crais
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Book Reviews of L.A. Requiem (Elvis Cole Novels)
Book Review: Who is Joe Pike?
Summary: 5 Stars
A friend's daughter is missing and Joe Pike asks his friend Elvis Cole to help him find her. Along the way we discover that the missing girl and Joe Pike had once been an item and that is just the beginning of what author Robert Crais reveals about the enigmatic, silent partner to his gregarious wise-ass hero, Elvis Cole.It was time in the series to do something more than another fast-paced, wise-crack laden, plot-driven Cole/Pike adventure. Not that the novel is slow and humorless, but here Crais has decided to round out Joe Pike, giving him more background and history to explain some of his mystery. It's a cracking good story at that.
Adding depth to his characters will only add to the future novels, and he does the same for Elvis Cole in The Last Detective. Plus here we get the horny SID criminologist, John Chen, thrown in, and a complex and nasty mystery behind it all.
Well worthwhile for fans of the series. 5 stars for them.
Book Review: This Elvis Could Be "The King", Too!
Summary: 5 Stars
I discovered the Crais books kinda by accident. I have been a big fan of Robert B. Parker's for many years and was told that if I liked Parker, I would like Crais. There is a similarity as both detectives have powerful sidekicks with pasts that are only alluded to. In LA Requiem, we find out a lot about the mysterious Joe Pike, our hero Elvis Cole's sidekick. This book is a lot grittier than the previous Cole books and at first, it was rather a turn-off. As I read more of the book, I couldn't help but get involved in the story and felt that the more serious tone really suited this particular tale. Elvis is still a smartass but, he really gets involved in his friend's plight and his romantic interest takes an unexpected turn. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes modern day detective fiction. I would suggest that anyone who hasn't read one or more of the earlier books in this series should do so before reading this one.Book Review: Best Elvis Cole to date
Summary: 5 Stars
"L.A. Requiem" is, without doubt, the finest Elvis Cole novel in the series to date. Larger in scope and in depth than previous Cole novels, "L.A. Requiem" provides the characters with backgrounds and histories. This is information fans have been waiting for, especially in the case of Cole's partner, Joe Pike.Readers new to the team of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike would do well to start at the beginning of this fine series with "The Monkey's Raincoat." Watching character development throughout the series is all part of the fun, and adds to the experience of "L.A. Requiem."
To give away too much of the plot would be a crime. Suffice to say that this story is much more deep, broad, complex, and noir than any of the previous novels. It's one that will grab you from the start, and keep you turning pages until all hours of the night. When you finish the book, you'll still want more.
Book Review: Better than the other Cole novels but not great
Summary: 4 Stars
In L. A. REQUIEM Elvis Cole is plays second fiddle to partner, Joe Pike. Crais uses this novel to add character dimension to Pike. In Crais' previous novels Pike is always mysterious. He does not need to talk since he prefers to let his actions speak for him. When he speaks it is because he has something important to say.We get to know a lot more about Pike in this book including why do the police hate him as well as his past. One gets to see a more human side to Joe than in any other novel he has appeared.
A serial killer is picking victims out of Pike's past and later, framing Joe in a murder. Elvis does his best to investigate at the risk of losing his P. I. license, his life and his girlfriend. I found this novel to be better than the previous Elvis Cole novels but I felt that I read something similar in the past. The reason for the killer's hate toward Pike seemed to me a bit cliché but it work with the story.
Book Review: The book I keep hoping Robert Parker will write
Summary: 4 Stars
Ever since Robert B. Parker's Spenser series started, a whole slew of imitators has developed. Tough but sensitive and moral detectives with really, really dangerous sidekicks wander through a number of author's mysteries and Robert Crais' Elvis Cole series is as good as any and better than most. In this novel, however, he breaks new ground and writes a more serious novel that is exactly the one that I keep hoping Parker will write. What is Hawk's background? Who knows? Parker is clearly never going to spend any time in Hawk's childhood so it was very gratifying to see Crais spend good quality time with Pike and do it so well. The childhood and personal history he creates here exactly fits Pike and adds to his strength and power while making him a much more interesting person and a character I want to read more about. In 2000 this book was nominated for an Edgar, it didn't win, but it certainly could have.