A few years ago - 2013 actually, BTW where the f*** has six years gone? - I embarked on reading my way through the series, before getting side-tracked after book number five - Voodoo River.
I did that with a few series actually - Lawrence Block and Matt Scudder, Bill Pronzini and Nameless, Max Allan Collins and Quarry and John D. MacDonald and Travis McGee.
Eventually I'd like to read all eleven novels badged as the Cole series and follow on with the seven Cole/Pike novels. In the books I've read so far Joe Pike is an enigmatic but minor character, sidekick.1. The Monkey's Raincoat (1987)
2. Stalking the Angel (1988)
3. Lullaby Town (1992)
4. Free Fall (1993)
5. Voodoo River (1995)
I do like an LA based PI series - Paul D. Marks with White Heat and Broken Windows - a slightly harder series is a recent favourite.
Sunset Express (1996)
On his own turf in LA, Elvis Cole is embroiled in a controversial, high-profile murder case. Hired by the defence lawyer to investigate alleged evidence tampering by the detective on the case, Cole soon begins to be more suspicious of the media-loving lawyers than the cops.
Indigo Slam (1997)
An action packed, razor sharp thriller featuring LA private eye Elvis Cole. Meet Elvis Cole. Vietnam Veteran, private eye who carries a .38 and is determined never to grow up. 15 year old Teri Hewitt has been left holding the babies now that her dad, Clark has disappeared without trace. She wants Cole to find him. The search reveals a chronically unemployed drug addict caught up in counterfeiting scams and mixed up with the Russian mafia and Vietnamese Gunmen. As the action heads towards a gunfight in Disneyland and Cole dodges his almost girlfriend's husband , Indigo Slam shapes up into the most entertaining and exciting American crime novel for years.
Col, I need to read Robert Crais' novels as well as those of the other veterans you mentioned. I have only read Lawrence Block and John D. MacDonald, but not a lot.
ReplyDeletePrashant hopefully the second half of this year I'll get back to some of these authors in earnest.
DeleteThis is a great series, isn't it, Col? I admit I haven't read it all, so I still have some to discover. But what I have read is terrific. I like the interplay between Cole and Pike - it's very well done. And the stories are good, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have a series in common Margot that we both enjoy.
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ReplyDeleteI tasted Crais and this series for the first time a few months ago, and was not entirely captivated. I was tartly informed by Crais fans, though, that with my usual skill I'd picked the solitary bummer from a run of otherwise great books, so at some point I'll give him another go.
ReplyDeleteHe is worth a second chance I think. Truth be told I can't recall too much about these, six years on. Voodoo River merited five stars. I'm hoping they still entertain when I get back to them. I've no reason to believe my tastes have meandered away from enjoying his work.
DeleteCol – I can’t remember the last time I read one of Crais’ novels. Thanks for the reminder. And, I too do not know where the last six years have gone. This entire decade has flown. But I must have been there, I have photos.
ReplyDeleteElgin, I'm the same. It's all just a blur now.
DeleteI do the same thing with series. I read The Monkey's Raincoat and Stalking the Angel but did not get further. I do have the third one and Suspect.
ReplyDeleteI would actually like to complete a few series. If I stop getting my head turned by new books, I might achieve that goal!
DeleteI read the first in this series, and that seems a long time ago now, so I see where you are coming from! I liked it well enough, but do I really need another series chasing me? Not sure.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you have time to dip in and dip out, Moira.
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