New Releases by Robert Crais

Private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike, face a cryptic case and a terrifying, unpredictable killer in this twisty, satisfying thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais. Traci Beller was thirteen when her father disappeared in the sleepy town of Rancha, not far from Los Angeles. The evidence says Tommy Beller abandoned his family, but Traci never believed it. The police couldn''t find her dad and neither could the detectives her mother hired, but now, ten years later, Traci is a super-popular influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire a new detective: Elvis Cole. Taking on a ten-years-cold missing person case is almost always a loser, but Elvis heads to Rancha where he learns an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya, might have a line on the missing man. But when Elvis finds himself shadowed by a deadly gang of vicious criminals, the simple missing persons case becomes far more sinister and dangerous. Elvis calls in his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, to help, but even Pike might not be able to help. As Elvis Cole and Joe Pike follow Tommy Beller''s trail into the twisted, nightmare depths of a monstrous evil, the case flips on its head. Victims become predators, predators become pray, and when everyone is a victim, can Elvis Cole save them all? In a case that tests Elvis Cole''s loyalty to his clients and himself, the truth must come out no matter the cost. Elvis must face The Big Empty and see justice done.

‘Another grand slam for the master storyteller’ DAVID BALDACCI ‘A modern master of crime fiction’ GREGG HURWITZ ''Robert Crais is a legend who deserves his place alongside Chandler, Hammett & Himes as a true master of the crime and mystery genre'' STEVE CAVANAGH THE CITY OF ANGELS Adele Schumacher isn’t a typical worried mum. When she hires Elvis to find her missing son, a controversial podcaster named Josh Shoe, she brings a bag filled with cash, paranoid tales of government conspiracies, and a squad of mysterious bodyguards. Finding Josh should be simple, but Elvis quickly learns he isn’t alone in the hunt – a team of deadly strangers are determined to find Josh first. THE CITY OF LIES With dangerous secrets lurking behind every lead, Elvis needs his friend Joe Pike more than ever to uncover the truth about Josh, corrupt politicians, and the murderous business cartels rotting the heart of Los Angeles. And when his estranged ex-girlfriend Lucy Chenier and her son return to the city, Elvis realizes just how much he has to lose . . . if he survives. Written with the heart, humour, and relentless suspense for which Crais is famous, Racing the Light delivers Elvis Cole’s most dangerous case yet. __________________________ Why Crais is the King of Crime . . . ‘Robert Crais – and Joe Pike – will have you by the throat’ Independent ''Just keeps getting better and better'' Evening Standard ‘Robert Crais is hands-down the World’s Greatest Crime Fiction Writer’ Huffington Post ‘Expertly delivers his customary modern-day riff on the 1940s hardboiled idiom’ Guardia ''The Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novels are among the very finest series in existence. I love these books. You will too'' Steve Cavanagh ‘Cleverly plotted, stylishly written’ Washington Post

The #1 New York Times–bestselling author invites you into a conversation with his two most popular characters— one well-liked and the other, not so much. In this short piece, Robert Crais brings us into the world of quirky and likable Los Angeles PI Elvis Cole and his friend Joe Pike, a survivor and an enigmatic man of few words. The discussion revolves around the choices they''ve made, the obstacles they''ve overcome, the things that drive them to be who they are, and the hope that keeps them persevering through the darkness. It''s a fresh look at this "superb series" ( Kirkus Reviews), and a fascinating visit with its "whip-smart" author ( Booklist), who has also written for such television classics as Cagney and Lacey and Hill Street Blues. "Cole and Pike make a terrific pair." — Seattle Times

A brilliant new crime novel from the beloved, bestselling, and award-winning master of the genre, A Dangerous Man centers on Joe Pike''s most perilous case to date. Joe Pike didn''t expect to rescue a woman that day. He went to the bank same as anyone goes to the bank, and returned to his Jeep. So when Isabel Roland, the lonely young teller who helped him, steps out of the bank on her way to lunch, Joe is on hand when two men abduct her. Joe chases them down, and the two men are arrested. But instead of putting the drama to rest, the arrests are only the beginning of the trouble for Joe and Izzy. After posting bail, the two abductors are murdered and Izzy disappears. Pike calls on his friend, Elvis Cole, to help learn the truth. What Elvis uncovers is a twisted family story that involves corporate whistleblowing, huge amounts of cash, the Witness Relocation Program, and a long line of lies. But what of all that did Izzy know? Is she a perpetrator or a victim? And how far will Joe go to find out?

The bestselling author of Demolition Angel and L.A. Requiem returns with his most intense and intricate thriller yet. As the Los Angeles Times said, Robert Crais is “a crime writer operating at the top of his game.” His complex heroes and heroines, his mastery of noir atmosphere, and his brilliant, taut plots have catapulted him into the front rank of a new breed of thriller writers. Hostage proves his earlier success was no fluke. It’s an unstoppable read. An ex-con with delusions of grandeur and his tagalong brother unwittingly team up with a psychopath one wrong word away from meltdown. When their late afternoon joyride turns into a random act of violence, they take a family hostage in the affluent bedroom community of Bristo Camino. Enter Chief of Police Jeff Talley, a stressed-out former LAPD SWAT negotiator who is hiding from his past. Plunged back into the high-pressure world that he desperately wants to forget, Talley soon learns that his nightmare has only begun. The hostages are not who they seem, and the home contains secrets that even L.A.’s most lethal and volatile crime lord, Sonny Benza, fears. As Talley tries to hold himself together and save the people inside, the full weight of Benza’s wrath descends on him, putting the police chief and his own family at risk. Soon, all involved are held hostage by the exigencies of fate and the only one capable of diffusing the standoff is the least stable of them all. Hostage is a blistering stand-alone thriller with superb characters in crisis, multistranded plotting, and pitch-perfect Southern California sensibility.

Prominent restaurateur Teddy Martin is facing charges in his wife’s brutal murder. But he’s not going down without spending a bundle of cash on his defense. So his hotshot attorney hires P.I. Elvis Cole to find proof that Detective Angela Rossi tampered with the evidence. Rossi needs a way back to the fast track after falling hard during an internal investigation five years ago. But Cole needs to know if she’s desperate enough to falsify the case against Martin in order to secure her own position. As Cole and his partner Joe Pike work their way through a tangle of witnesses and an even greater tangle of media, they begin to suspect that it’s not the police who are behind the setup.

“Stunning . . . Shrewdly written and sharply plotted . . . The Last Detective is a rare treat.”—The Washington Post Book World “Fast-moving . . . a page-turning thriller.”—Chicago Tribune P.I. Elvis Cole’s relationship with attorney Lucy Chenier is strained, but it becomes even more tense when the unthinkable happens: While Lucy is away on business and her ten-year-old son, Ben, is staying with Elvis, the boy vanishes without a trace. When the kidnappers call, it’s not for ransom, but for a promise to punish Cole for past sins he claims he didn’t commit. With LAPD wrestling over the case and the boy’s estranged father attempting to take control of the investigation, Cole vows to find Ben first. But Cole’s partner, Joe Pike, knows more about this case than he has said. Pike lives in a world where dangerous men commit crimes beyond all reckoning. Now, one of those men is alive and well in L.A.—and calling Elvis Cole to war.

“Elvis Cole provides more fun for the reader than any L.A. private eye to come along in years.”—Joseph Wambaugh WINNER OF THE ANTHONY AND MACAVITY AWARDS FOR BEST NOVEL • NOMINATED FOR THE EDGAR AND SHAMUS AWARDS FOR BEST NOVEL Meet Elvis Cole, L.A. Private Eye. . . . He quotes Jiminy Cricket and carries a .38. He’s a literate, wisecracking Vietnam vet who is determined to never grow up. When quiet Ellen Lang enters Elvis Cole’s Disney-Deco office, she’s lost something very valuable—her husband and her young son. The case seems simple enough, but Elvis isn’t thrilled. Neither is his enigmatic partner and firepower, Joe Pike. Their search down the seamy side of Hollywood’s studio lots and sculptured lawns soon leads them deep into a nasty netherworld of drugs, sex—and murder. Now the case is getting interesting, but it’s also turned ugly. Because everybody, from cops to starlets to crooks, has declared war on Ellen and Elvis. For Ellen, it isn’t Funtown anymore. For Elvis, it’s just a living . . . He hopes. Praise for The Monkey''s Raincoat “Outstanding characters, tight plot, and scintillating prose style. . . . This fast-paced story speeds Elvis Cole to a chilling, heart-stopping ending.”—Mystery Scene “Is Bob Crais good? Put it this way: if they''re taking you out to put you against the firing squad wall, and you want to enjoy your last moments on earth, pass on the last cigarette and ask for an Elvis Cole novel.”—Harlan Ellison “Far and away the most satisfying private eye novel in years. Grab this one—it''s a winner!”—Lawrence Block “The best private eye novel of the year . . . lots of action; bright, crisp dialogue; and sharply drawn characters.”—The Denver Post “Robert B. Parker has some competition on his hands. . . . Elvis Cole is an appealing character and Crais''s style is fresh and funny.”—Sue Grafton “In Crais, a new star has appeared on the private eye scene—a dazzling first novel.”—Tony Hillerman

Dopo aver accettato un incarico strettamente riservato, Elvis Cole si mette sulle tracce di una madre sconvolta dal dolore e misteriosamente scomparsa. In una notte di pioggia incessante, la sua ricerca lo conduce nei pressi di una casa come tante a Echo Park, Los Angeles, dove le sue indagini incroceranno quelle dell''agente del Dipartimento di Polizia Scott James e del suo cane poliziotto, Maggie. A farli incontrare e metterli in scacco entrambi, loro malgrado, è Rollins, un feroce malvivente che ha lasciato dietro di sé un corpo senza vita ed esplosivi sufficienti a far saltare in aria tutto il vicinato. In fuga dalla polizia, l''uomo sembra essere collegato anche alla donna scomparsa che Cole sta cercando. L''agente Scott è l''unica persona in grado di identificare Rollins, che ha una regola ben precisa: non lasciare mai vivo un testimone. Costretto al silenzio dalla segretezza del suo incarico, Elvis Cole viene preso di mira dalla polizia stessa, mentre Scott e Maggie diventano bersagli di Rollins. I due casi ben presto si intrecciano e così Elvis e il fido Joe Pike decidono di unire le forze con Scott e Maggie e insieme si ritrovano a combattere contro l''ombra del terrorismo, trafficanti di armi, funzionari corrotti e bande criminali, in una storia dove nessuno è chi afferma di essere, forse neanche la donna che tutti hanno promesso di salvare. Con La promessa, il maestro del thriller Robert Crais ci regala un capolavoro di suspense che vede come protagonisti tutti i suoi personaggi più amati: Elvis Cole e Joe Pike stavolta faranno squadra con gli eroi de Il sospetto, Scott e Maggie, in una storia che terrà il lettore con il fiato sospeso dalla prima all''ultima pagina e che conferma, una volta di più, il talento di uno dei più grandi autori del genere.

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Investigator Elvis Cole and his partner Joe Pike take on the deadliest case of their lives in the new masterpiece of suspense from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Robert Crais. It seemed like a simple case—before the bodies started piling up... When single-mother Devon Connor hires Elvis Cole, it’s because her troubled teenage son Tyson is flashing cash and she’s afraid he’s dealing drugs. But the truth is devastatingly different. With two others, he’s been responsible for a string of high-end burglaries, a crime spree that takes a deadly turn when one of them is murdered and Tyson and his girlfriend disappear. They stole the wrong thing from the wrong man, and, determined to get it back, he has hired two men who are smart and brutal and the best at what they do. To even the odds, Cole brings in his friend Joe Pike, but even the two of them together may be overmatched. The police don’t want them anywhere near the investigation, the teenagers refuse to be found, and the hired killers are leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. Pretty soon, they’ll find out everything they need to know to track the kids down—and then nothing that Elvis or Joe can do may make any difference. It might even get them killed.

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are joined by Suspect heroes LAPD K-9 Officer Scott James and his German shepherd, Maggie, in this heart-stopping thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais. Elvis Cole and Joe Pike keep their promises. Even if it could get them killed... Elvis Cole is hired to find a woman who’s disappeared, a seemingly ordinary case, until he learns the missing woman is an explosives expert and worked for a Defense Department contractor. Meanwhile, LAPD K-9 Officer Scott James and his patrol dog, Maggie, track a fugitive to a house filled with explosives—and a dead body. As the two cases intertwine, they all find themselves up against shadowy arms dealers and corrupt officials, and the very woman they promised to save may be the cause of their own deaths.

A reckoning has come to the City of Angels... Karen Garcia is missing and her father doesn''t trust the cops - he wantssomeone he knows on the case - so he enlists the help of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. It seems that Karen is the latest victim of a distinctive serial killer and the police are determined to pin her death, and four others, on the witness who found her body. Cole doesn''t believe the man has the guts to murder, and with his partner and the police at each other''s throats, it''s down to him to find the connection that will reveal the killer. But nailing the murderer means choosing between the two people he cares most about...

Cuando Nita Morales contrata a Elvis Cole para que encuentre a su hija desaparecida, no se muestra demasiado preocupada, aunque ya ha recibido una llamada en la que se le pide un rescate. Está segura de que se trata de un engaño, de que su hija se ha...

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike series comes a thrilling novel featuring LAPD K-9 Officer Scott James and his German shepherd, Maggie. Nine months ago, a shocking assault by unidentified men killed Scott James'' partner, Stephanie, nearly killed him, and left him enraged, ashamed, and ready to explode. He is unfit for duty—until he meets his new partner. Maggie is not doing so well, either. A German shepherd who survived two tours in Afghanistan sniffing explosives before losing her handler, her PTSD is as bad as Scott’s. They are each other’s last chance. And they’re about to investigate the one case no one wants them to touch: identifying the men who murdered Stephanie. But what they find could ultimately break them both. One of Booklist''s 10 Best Crime Fiction Books of the Year

The search for a missing girl leads private investigators Elvis Cole and Joe Pike into the nightmarish world of human trafficking in this #1 New York Times bestseller from Robert Crais. When Nita Morales hires Elvis Cole to find her missing daughter, she''s sure it''s a ruse orchestrated by the girl and her boyfriend. She''s wrong. They''ve been taken by bajadores—border bandits who prey on the innocent by buying, selling, and disposing of victims like commodities. Cole and Joe Pike start an undercover investigation to find the couple, but their plan derails when Cole disappears, leaving Pike to burn through the murderous world of human traffickers to find his friend as well as the missing young people. But he may already be too late...

Joe Pike and his partner Elvis Cole must solve the murder of an old friend and his entire family in this gripping thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais. When Frank Meyer and his family are executed during a home invasion, the police begin investigating the secret life they''re sure Meyer had. Joe Pike''s on a hunt of his own: to clear his friend''s name, and to punish the people who murdered him. What starts out as a simple trail gets twisted fast by old grudges, double crosses, blood vengeance, and a crime so terrible even Pike and his partner Elvis Cole have no way to measure it.

Cole and Pike work to determine if Cole unwittingly set a murderer free to kill again.

Larkin Conner Barkley, figlia di un facoltoso magnate di Los Angeles, è una ragazza giovane, bella e viziata, che considera la Cità degli Angeli il suo personale parco di divertimenti. La sua vita cambia radicalmente quando assiste a un brutto incidente stradale e diventa una scomoda testimone, costretta a vivere sotto protezione, nancosta in un luogo sicuro sotto l''occhio vigile di Joe Pike. Ma nemmeno per un ex marine ed ex poliziotto come Joe è facile fare i conti com il carattere di Larkin. Proprio mentre riesce com dificoltà a stabilire un rapporto con la ricca ereditiera, la vicenda della testimonianza comincia a rivelare risvolti inattesi e misteriosi. Alle prese con narcotrafficanti e riciclatori di denaro per conto del terrorismo, Joe, grazie anche all''aiuto del compagno di sempre, Elvis Cole, e del tecnico della Scientifica John Chen, riuscirà a rovesciare i ruoli con i suoi assalitori, trasformandosi da preda in cacciatore.

The body of a young woman is discovered in the hills above LA. Just another murder, or a death that will rip apart a family and destroy the friendship between private investigator Elvis Cole and former police office Joe Pike.

Working as a bodyguard for a spoiled federal witness, Joe Pike hatches a desperate plan to disappear with the woman in the underworld of Los Angeles and turn on her would-be killers, an effort in which he enlists the help of private investigator Elvis Cole.

Devastated by the murder of his estranged police officer son on the day of his own release from prison, former bank robber Max Holman launches a renegade investigation and discovers that the chief suspect, a gang kingpin, is being deliberately and wrongfully targeted by the LAPD. By the author of The Forgotten Man. 200,000 first printing.

“[A] riveting novel with a vivid sense of place . . . Anyone who enjoys a well-written, fast-paced, noirish thriller with a great aha! moment shouldn’t miss The Forgotten Man.”—The Boston Globe In an alleyway in Los Angeles, an old man, clutching faded newspaper clippings and gasping his last words to a cop, lies dying of a gunshot wound. The victim claims to be P.I. Elvis Cole’s long-lost father—a stranger who has always haunted his son. As a teenager, Cole searched desperately for his father. As a man, he faces the frightening possibility that this murder victim was himself a killer. Caught in limbo between a broken love affair and way too much publicity over his last case, Cole at first resists getting involved with this new case. Then it consumes him. Now a stranger’s terrifying secrets—and a hunt for his killer—give Cole a frightening glimpse into his own past. And he can’t tell if it’s forgiveness or a bullet that’s coming next. . . . “Robert Crais is a crime writer of incredible talent—his novels are not only suspenseful and deeply atmospheric but very hard to put down.”—Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code “A brutal but exhilarating climax.”—USA Today

John Michael Fowles has a natural talent: he understands explosives. He has a feel for them. It is a talent which he fully expects will take him onto the FBI''s Ten Most Wanted list. Along the way he will match himself against the best: the FBI''s elite team of bomb technicians and one person in particular - Carol Starkey, Detective in the LAPD Criminal Conspiracy Section. Starkey died for two minutes and forty seconds after being blown up by one of his bombs, and Fowles dearly wants her dead again. As the FBI attempt to find the link behind a series of bomb explosions that have been designed to kill their technicians, Special Agent Ben Williams stumbles on the bomber''s secret: his desire to kill Starkey. If Williams can keep this from Starkey he can set a trap and catch the bomber. A trap that uses Carol Starkey as bait.