Elvis Cole, a fan favorite, is back in Robert Crais’ The Big Empty. You’ll want to pre-order a copy through the Webstore after you read Oline Cogdill’s review. https://bit.ly/4h4a4mF.
Oline Cogdill, special correspondent for “The Sun Sentinel”, shared her review. Crais’ Elvis Cole retruns, at least, in ‘The Big Empty’.
The Big Empty’ by Robert Crais. Putnam, 400 pages, $30
Readers expecting an annual installment of a beloved mystery series may feel a void when those characters are missing for a couple of years, like Robert Crais’ Elvis Cole novels, the last of which was “Racing The Light” in 2022.
So welcome back, Elvis, and, of course, his partner Joe Pike — do NOT call him a sidekick — as Crais reunites his private detectives in the lean and agile “The Big Empty.” Crais’ brand of melding sly humor with a hard-boiled story driven by the smart-mouthed Elvis and the taciturn yet lethal Pike hasn’t stalled during the three-year absence.
In “The Big Empty,” L.A. private eye Elvis is hired by Traci Beller, a 23-year-old influencer whose prowess in baking has brought her 8.2 million followers. “The Muffin Girl,” as fans call Traci, already has a series of cookbooks and merchandise but is poised for even more success.
But Traci also has an emptiness that brought her to Elvis. Ten years ago her father, Thomas, disappeared without a trace. The van for his heating and air-conditioning company, which he owned with his brother, was never found following his last job. No trace of Thomas has ever been found, despite other high-profile detective agencies Traci has hired. Traci also has never quite forgiven her mother for seeming to move on so quickly after Thomas vanished. Her mother calls Thomas’ disappearance Traci’s “curse.”
Elvis finds ignored witnesses while retracing Thomas’ last steps as he and ex-Marine Pike uncover a conspiracy that leads to an ex-con, her daughter and a group of criminals.
“The Big Empty” is vintage Crais, with a plot that starts simple then turns dark, taking myriad twists leading to an unpredictable finale. Elvis still revels in his snarky humor — yes, he still uses the Mickey Mouse landline in his office — but also is completely serious and professional at his job. As for Joe Pike — let’s just say he’s the person you want on your side. The friendship and respect Elvis and Pike have for each other continues to be a driving force. The action is believable, yet restrained.
Crais set a solid course for Elvis beginning with his 1987 debut “The Monkey’s Raincoat,” which was nominated for an Edgar Award. “The Big Empty,” Elvis’s 20th outing, continues Crais’ high standards.
BEHIND THE PLOT: Robert Crais’ journey to Elvis began when he wrote scripts for TV series such as “Hill Street Blues” (which brought him an Emmy nomination), “Cagney & Lacey,” “Miami Vice” and numerous series pilots and movies of the week. Crais was inspired to create Elvis Cole, using elements of his own life, following the death of his father in 1985, according to his website. “The Monkey’s Raincoat” received the Anthony and Macavity Awards, was nominated for the Edgar Award and is listed on “100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century” by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. “The Monkey’s Raincoat” launched Crais’ penchant for mixing dry humor with hard-boiled action as well as a sense of poignancy, such as the scene in which Elvis helps a middle-aged woman write her first check after her husband’s disappearance.
Originally Published: December 31, 2024 at 10:10 AM EST