Sunset Express: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Book 6)

On an internet discussion board, I asked what I should read if I enjoyed Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch books. Among numerous other selections, many people suggested Robert Crais' Elvis Cole novels. I bought "The Monkey's Raincoat" and started to read it. It didn't immediately grab me, so I put it down and moved on to other books. I was then referred to the Elvis Cole novels again, elsewhere, so I picked up the book again. This time, I got far enough to get a feel for Crais' writing and I realized how good of a writer he really is.First, Crais' sense of humor, as displayed through his protagonist, Elvis Cole, is evident throughout his novels. Cole's self-deprecating, cynical (but not too much so) inner dialogue is crisp, timely and often quite funny. Repeatedly throughout Cole's first-person narration, he'll share spoken dialogue with another character and immediately, in his internal dialogue, berate himself for how he thinks his words sounded. He critiques his own interactions with other characters in the book as he goes along and this self-deprecation gives you a very clear picture of Cole's character.Crais' novels aren't just about how funny Cole is though. They are whodunnits, sometimes suspenseful, sometimes thought-provoking. They are filled with action and mystery.Because I came to Crais' novels due to a request for what I should read if I liked Harry Bosch, I should clarify that Crais' novels are, in some ways, starkly different from Connelly's. Connelly's novels tend to leave little room for humor, and paint Bosch as a tortured soul, whose raison d'être is solving homicides. Elvis Cole on the other hand has a much lighter, more carefree, humorous outlook on life. Crais' Elvis Cole novels really only share surface-level details with Connelly's Harry Bosch novels: They're both set mostly in Los Angeles and they both involve crime-solving (Bosch, specifically homicide, whereas Cole is a private eye and some of his cases don't involve homicide investigations, though some do). The other, more important (to me at least) detail that the novels share is that they're all very well written. There is a slew of awful books out there these days thanks to ebook publishing making the market fair game for anyone with enough time to hammer out enough letters on a keyboard to "write" a "novel". Crais' and Connelly are from that dying age where an author's work had to pass muster for a publishing house to pick it up and distribute it to the masses. Their works passed that muster, and with flying colors.Crais is not just a great storyteller, but also an exceptional writer.PS - sorry I didn't go into specifics of this novel, though I will say if you start with Monkey's Raincoat and find that you like Crais' writing as much as I do, you'll find yourself loving this novel soon enough.

This story has that perfect blend of action, mystery, humor, and romance that Robert Crais brings to all his stories. I’ve read most of his books twice and it won’t be long before I start round 3.

This book came in bad shape & should have been listed as acceptable at the best. The cover is already separated from the spine & and pages are barely still glued together. After I read this one it will be good for nothing but recycling, not able to pass to a lending library

I’ve always liked him but read the books out of order, so I was surprised how sappy and unreal Elvis and Lucy’s relationship was. Every time she called him Studley I wanted to scream, it was so annoying. But still, I like this writer so…

I did not like this book as well as I did his other works. To much time spent on relationships rather than the story line. I still enjoyed, but give me more Pike and less romance.

What an incredible story with many interesting twists! Kept me so interested that I finished this book in record time! Taking care of some chores before starting the next book, "Indigo Slam", Book 7 of the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Series as once started I may be unable to put it down also! Enjoy!!

I love Elvis Cole and Joe Pike…super heroes, World’s Greatest detectives! And Robert Crais writes the best bad guys too.

I really enjoy the insider view of Los Angeles and the mixing of courtroom hijnks and street investigation. And i like Cole and Pike's back and forth. I've always thought of this series as derivative of Robert Parker's Spenser, basically a west coast version, and that would be a deep flaw in the hands of a less accomplished writer, but Crais writes well and entertainingly, The only reason I mention the connection to RP in this review is because of the Lucy Chenier character (think Spenser's Susan and their boring mooning and swooning). I have no objection to a love interest who plays an integral part in the story, but if the love interest is only a love interest (maybe given a few lines here and there that add to the storyline or the momentum of the plot) I get bored. After all I'm looking for a mystery not a love affair drawn out in all it's excruciating details I also don't enjoy phonetic spelling, Especially when it seems to be applied only to the minority characters. Nuthin' sounds exactly like nothin' so why use a 'u' unless you're trying to indicate ignorance or comtempt?

A mis une éternité a arriver!!! 3 étoiles pour la livraison et 5 étoiles pour le bouquin.

結末がいまひとつな気がしました

Cole and Pike only get more and more intriguing in rereading them.Love the continuity in ‘Lives’ of the main characters, the continuity of ‘Character’ of ‘Purpose and Integrity’ In rereading I find glue that ties the people, the places, the lives and circumstances that make each story both independent, and, at the same time totally connected to the the lives of all the characters.........and us.

A gifted writer with a knack for fast-paced action and great dialogue - with an attractive hero (Elvis Cole) that you will grow to love in this, and many other books in the series.

good as ever !