Chasing Darkness: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole) Reviews

• Next Title: Elvis Cole and Sunset Living?

  
  By A1SKNS2DGG46XM on 2008-07-10
  So I'm beginning to feel like all of the big names in pop thriller/crime fiction - Lee Childs, James Lee Burke, James Patterson, and now Robert Crais, are getting either bored or lazy, or have somehow managed to misplace the passion and fiery writing that placed them in their well deserved positions (well, except perhaps Patterson) on the big best seller lists. Yes, I'm a Robert Crais fan. The early Elvis Cole was smart, funny, and in your face - definitely an updated, more hip, and slightly more irreverent version of the venerable Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe and today's answer to the hard boiled LA that Chandler invented. And Joe Pike? In Crais' prime, can you think of a supporting cast member more menacing - a more cleverly and intelligently rendered butt-kicker - the hands down candidate for the guy you'd least want to have on the other side of a street fight - or any kind of fight? Leaves me yearning for "LA Requiem", "The Monkey's Raincoat", or Crais' outstanding stand alone effort, "The Hostage".
  
  To be fair, "Chasing Darkness" is by no means a bad read. In fact, it starts out with an intriguing "murder in a locked room-like" premise that is genuinely gripping, and definitely held my attention. And without the distraction and baggage of Cole's annoying girlfriend Lucy hanging around to mush up the action, I was getting ready to declare that "Crais is back" after what a thought were a couple of sub-par installments. But before long it starts feeling a bit tired with crooked cop conspiracy theories and all too familiar themes. And the intimidating Pike is relegated to a near cameo role, emerging with only enough adrenaline to help Elvis beat up some kids. At the end of the day, the enigma unravels too easily, and if you devote more than a few seconds to dissecting the mystery, you'll find a hole big enough for Cole's 'vette and Pike's Jeep to drive through - side-by-side.
  
  When all is said and done, "Chasing Darkness" is mostly an entertaining ride, but essentially flat - a journeyman's effort that had that "got-to-do-this-to-meet-my contract" feel to it. The Crais aficionado - like me - will want to read it, but it is far from his best effort, and a sure sign that the talented Mr. Crais should take the hint from Dennis Lehane and William Lashner, and take some well deserved time off to recharge his classic crime-busting mojo. And should he take this hiatus, Crais fans take heart - their are plenty of great new writers - Huston, Swierczynski, Gischler, McKinty, Doolittle and more - to fill the gaps while the old guys like Crais and Child take a vacation to remember the kind of writing that got them to the top.
  
  

• strong tale

  
  By AFVQZQ8PW0L on 2008-07-03
  The forest fire remains out of control so police are evacuating homes in the blaze's path in Laurel Canyon. In one of the houses the cops find the corpse of Lionel Byrd; he apparently committed suicide.
  
  When Los Angeles private investigator Elvis Cole learns of the death, he is stunned and filled with remorse. Three years earlier, Byrd was accused of a homicide; working for the defense, Cole found proof that his client was innocent; the charges were dropped. However, recently new evidence has been found that strongly implies Byrd committed that murder, four known others before being caught and at least two more since Cole found the prof that freed him. Wracked by guilt for those who died perhaps by his actions, Cole investigates determined to learn whether he was duped, erred, or was right three years ago.
  
  Returning to Cole after his partner Joe Pike starred in THE WATCHMAN, fans of the series will see a different hero as he is obstinately determined to learn the truth; thus there are less amusing asides than usual and few scenes with friends; the plot fits the tone of his demeanor, as Cole suffers from crippling guilt. The story line is fast-paced from the onset, filled with plenty of action, and plausible but powerful twists and red herrings. CHASING DARKNESS is a strong tale as a more introspective Cole than ever before battles personal demons.
  
  Harriet Klausner
  
  
  
  

• Elvis' Story

  
  By A35DI28HRSEEP6 on 2008-07-05
  Joe PIke is along as well and so is Carol Starkey, but this is Elvis' story. A putative suicide is found as the result of a fire, a man exonerated by Elvis in the past. Now it appears that the man was a serial killer and Elvis was responsible for providing him the freedom to kill others. Elvis goes to work, sorting things out. The result is a classic novel of detection, in which the protagonist knocks on doors, asks people questions, knocks on more doors, asks more questions and does not stop (no matter how many obstacles are placed in his path) until he has the answers he seeks.
  
  While Elvis gets off a few good one-liners this is less the wisecracking Elvis Cole of the early novels and more the serious one of the more recent books. The plot is suitably complex, but the pace is perfect--a driving narrative that hurtles toward a plausible but unexpected conclusion. The ethos is pure Chandler, with apparent villainy in high places and a complete tour of L.A. from the dark booths of the Pacific Dining Car to the gritty, sad cottages of Sylmar and the sunny, but blood-soaked lawns of Santa Monica.
  
  It is hard to say if this is Crais's best book, because he consistently sets and meets a high standard. Suffice to say it is an excellent one, one of the best of the summer. It is exceptionally well-written, with memorable observations and descriptions that are delivered economically and with great skill. The polish on the individual sentences gleams. Highly recommended.
  
  

• Released too soon

  
  By A32R7ZMP18LF89 on 2008-07-06
  Let me preface this by saying I am a huge Robert Crais fan; I have read all of his previous books, and with the exception of Demolition Angel, I thought they were all five star material. This is not five star material. It is more like a first draft; I felt like I was reading the outline not the book. There was no depth to the characters in this book, which R.C. usually provides in abundance. He tries to surprise us with the true identity of the villain, but I was only half surprised. In this case, I think he could have made the book more interesting by giving us a first person glimpse of the perpetrator(s), even if he wanted to keep the characters anonymous. Elvis' meager observations of the criminal(s) did little to peak my interest, and I think Elvis was frustrated with his lack of ingenuity as well. All in all, the book was as flat as week old ginger ale. I have seen this happen with several of my favorite authors, and perhaps it is because their publishers push too hard for that next book to be released and the next book tour to begin. I say let the book age properly and don't release it too soon.
  
  

• An absolute must-read for Elvis fans; a terrific book for any fan of the genre

  
  By A2U83VDVJMAB2U on 2008-07-03
  A fire in the hills and canyons above Los Angeles leads to the discovery of the body of a man detective Elvis Cole had, years before, shown to be innocent of the murder accusations leveled against him.
  
  But evidence found with the body seems to indicate that Cole may have made the biggest mistake of his career, and helped set a serial killer free to kill again.
  
  This is a darker and more brooding novel than that which we typically associate with Crais's Elvis Cole character, and given the nature of the issues at stake, that's entirely appropriate and actually welcome. It adds another layer of humanity and complexity to the character, and makes it all too clear that though Elvis is usually the master of the arch wisecrack, he does take his work and life seriously when the bottom line is reached.
  
  The complexities of the case are masterfully addressed; a blend of LA politics thrown into the mix with dogged detective work. The characterizations are richly realized with the deft strokes Crais has mastered so well: the telling movement, the revealing phrase, the details of place and setting. Few do it as well as Crais, and he brings all his skills and talents to bear in this book.
  
  Of course, Joe Pike is there to cover Elvis's "six", as well as former LAPD bomb expert Starkey to lend a much-needed hand.
  
  But the real joy was in seeing this other side of Elvis; as much fun as the character's always been, he's now so much more.
  
  A very strong five stars. Read this book.
  
  
  
  
• Elvis Cole--on the case again....WOO HOO!!!!!
  By A3QX61LA0OJB2U on 2008-07-01
  As all Elvis Cole readers know, Robert Crais has put him through a real wringer as of late. Broken heart, broken bones and a near-broken spirit have tested The World's Greatest Detective in the last few books.
  
  And we loved it, of course.
  
  So, if we tell you that, in Chasing Darkness, Crais has crafted a less Elvis-centric tale of Detective and Case, assume please that we are doing it with all kinds of YAY!!
  
  A crucial element to any series is the ability to change pace and still move forward, and this installment does just that.
  
  Crais immediately sets the scene: During a brush-fire evac, LAPD discovers the apparent suicide of one Lionel Byrd. We learn that, some years prior, Elvis helped clear Lionel of a murder charge. Evidence from the death scene tends to incriminate Byrd in that murder and many others.
  
  Elvis is visited by a couple of bitter detectives that inform him of the current facts, including that two of the murders Byrd is implicated in occurred after Elvis cleared him, and of course Elvis demands to be dealt in. Cops say no way, conflict ensues, and we are rolling!!
  
  Crais does a great job of refreshing the basic skeleton of the Cole series by bringing back the elements we've always appreciated--Elvis disrespects authority, Elvis gets the crap kicked out of him, Elvis Goes Detecting. We've always loved the set pieces Crais constructs when he send Elvis door-to-door to find out stuff. It's when we get to see a little bit of how Crais views the world and the people in it. He gives us the taste, and then doesn't linger, as Chasing Darkness is a very fast-paced story with twists and turns worthy of the roads in Elvis' beloved Laurel Canyon.
  
  As the story unreels, Elvis finds himself stalked, beaten, and accused of murder. Just another day for World's Greatest.
  
  Crais is using the story to get at a couple of notions, primarily how we process grief--particularly when it becomes a desire for revenge. Elvis is, in fact, chasing various kinds of darkness. Some of it his own, but primarily that of others, and the essence of the book is what happens when an open soul--Elvis--offers himself to souls that are stricken and closed. Even when those souls hold some pretty damn malevolent intentions towards his own.
  
  The connections that Elvis makes in these situations will warm your heart. But don't get too comfy, cuz you know that Elvis will soon be abused again.
  
  And that's just how we like it!!!
  
  
  
• Elvis Cole returns
  By A3VOL71W5GIO1H on 2008-07-01
  Southern California is burning in the latest Elvis Cole novel, leading police to the body of Lionel Byrd while evacuating Laurel Canyon residents endangered by the fire. Evidence at the scene of Byrd's apparent suicide incriminates him in the murder of seven people, and the kicker is that two of them happened after Elvis Cole helped clear the man of one of the killings. Naturally, a guilt-wracked Cole is drawn into the case and soon finds evidence that Byrd's "suicide" may have been staged and that the police are covering it up. Several twists and turns keep things interesting, and Cole's partner Joe Pike (who's always reminded me of Spenser's Hawk) is along for the ride, which is darker than some of the previous Elvis Cole entries. I like the fact that in "Chasing Darkness" Crais continues to move away from his lighthearted, wisecrack-filled mysteries to a more hard-boiled styled with weightier themes and more powerful stories. Don't get me wrong though, "Chasing Darkness" is far from morose or heavy-handed - it's an exciting, unpredictable thriller featuring two of the most colorful detectives in current crime fiction.
  Also recommended: A Stranger Lies There by Stephen Santogrossi- a hard-boiled thriller set in the desert around Palm Springs, it won the Malice Domestic Award for best first mystery. I actually discovered this book last year in an Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine review alongside Crais' novel The Watchman. The review stated: "Santogrossi writes powerfully and movingly about a man who has paid for his mistakes only to find out that he's not through paying and never will be. An author to watch."
  
  
• Awesome! Elvis is back!
  By A3KPJ1MOGTZVGC on 2008-07-02
  Chasing Darkness brings back Elvis Cole, the "Worlds Greatest Detective". Not to mention Joe Pike and everyone that you've grown to like / love in the Elvis Cole novels. The story starts of fast and furious with one of Elvis's past assignments possibly coming back to bite him. When the police accuse Elvis of helping free a serial killer, you know that Elvis Cole won't stop until he's figured out what really happened.
  
  To me, there's something really special about the Elvis Cole. You know that he's going to do the right thing, no matter how much it hurts. And he's going to hurt if finding the truth hurts others. He's a great crusader and it makes reading about him so enjoyable. Contrast him with his foil of Joe Pike and you've got a great team. Now, roll that all up with many of the other characters developed over the Elvis Cole novels and you've got a very enjoyable read.
  
  I couldn't put this book down. I was halfway through and really found that I wanted to savor this novel. I really enjoy the way that Crais describes Los Angeles and how the characters navigate the city. And it definitely is more enjoyable to me having lived in LA at one point in my life. But beyond that, I found that I could not put the book down. I wanted to know more. And even when I was pretty sure who the villian was, I still didn't want to stop reading. This is a well written novel. My only negative was that the characters didn't develop as much as in other novels but I can live without that for once. Read and enjoy. :)
  
  
• Totally Fun Summer Read
  By AYT4FJYVCHYLE on 2008-07-15
  Personally, I was glad to have Elvis back at the center of the story again, and thrilled that Lucy was relegated to nothing more than a single phone call. Joe Pike takes a back door as well, but that didn't bother me this time. I think for any of these mystery writers who have had characters that continue in multiple books it becomes a huge challenge to make the plots fresh while moving the characters forward. I think Crais does it here, and for me this was a page turning fun summer thrill ride.
  
  
• World's Greatest really IS.
  By AGPGGAZB234Y8 on 2008-07-03
  It seems like a long, long time since I've read an Elvis Cole story. The last one was 'The Forgotten Man,' an elegiac tale of fathers, sons, and families "gang oft agley." The end of that book left a huge opening for developing Cole's private life, his love life in particular. Author Crais wisely avoided that opening, for in so doing it is likely this magical character would have descended into Soap Opera Hell. Instead, Crais gives the reader a retro-Elvis. Not so retro that we lose sight of the anguish Elvis has endured over the last few books, not so retro that Elvis retreats into childish wisecracking (at least not often), but retro in the sense of a pure mystery. The World's Greatest Detective is about to prove that claim is not mere hyperbole. Elvis must find out whether he caused the deaths of two women by helping to free a man accused of murder. He takes us to college, How To Detect 101, with interviews and clues and hours-days of sheer leg work. Watching Elvis slowly begin to peel back the layers of this wonderfully plotted puzzle is an education in and of itself. Watching him do this while he maintains his integrity and carefully considers the effect of his work on others, while he leans on partner Joe Pike without ever treating Joe like his personal crutch, is as deft a piece of characterization as Crais has ever achieved.
  
  Father-son relationships, a favorite theme of Crais's, are pretty much missing in this book, but his other favorite theme, that people are seldom what they seem, gets star treatment here. From a character (Ivy) who at first seems to lend little more to the plot than a very slight clue, to the hidden dark persona of the killer, and the many characters in between, Crais keeps surprising the reader with the depth to these characters. Some them resonate. Among my favorites are the family of one murder victim: The mother embittered by grief, the father quietly drowning in it, the three sons needing to take some revenge for their mother's sake as well as their own. The brief scenes among a family ravaged by the murder of their beloved daughter/sister are in sharp contrast to the scene where Cole meets the mother of another victim, a mother who thinks her 'bad' daughter got what she deserved.
  
  I must also mention the quality of the prose. Not only does Crais conjure up a Los Angeles so believable one can almost see the smoke and smell the fires, but he never makes a misstep: No purple prose here, no matter the angst within a given scene Crais never overplays his hand. The prose suits the characters. I believe that this is how Elvis Cole thinks, that this is how he would describe what he sees, that this is how he talks. And that a guy like Joe Pike would always have his back. As always, Crais gives the reader more than a by-the-numbers mystery. He gives us a whole world, with its good and bad, its laughter and sorrow, its daylight and darkness. Bravo!
  
  7/24/2008 Addendum: After reading some of the less flattering reviews here I'm wondering about what it is readers expect of the author. Someone thought the characterization was poor. Say what? They can't have been reading THIS book, had to be something by James Patterson instead. This entire books hinges on Elvis's personality and how he reacts to other, very different, personalities. I think Crais nailed it. Other readers seemed unhappy that Crais hasn't turned 3D characters like Chen and Starkey into the kind of caricatures that Janet Evanovich has done with her characters. Some folks apparently want the seriousness of the last few books to turn into a regular soap opera. I don't get that at all. This really is a terrific book, because there are damned few writers who can combine "page-turning" with quality prose, and keep a highly-detailed, tightly plotted story with in-depth characterization from going off the rails. "Chasing Darkness" is one of Crais's finest works to date. It's a shame to let any pre-conceived notions get in the way of a good read.
  
  
• Chasing Darkness
  By A3KHG1OYOE57JQ on 2008-08-05
  My wife and I were sadly disappointed in this latest Elvis book. The previous books have all shared a generally upbeat, exciting tone that made them both entertaining and an enjoyable read. This one starts out very dark and just seems to get worse and more depressing as it goes along.
  
  My wife read the first 20 pages and set the book aside with the comment "this is not the Elvis that I learned to enjoy". I have struggled through the first 100 pages looking for some light at the end of the tunnel and so far not finding it.
  
  Unfortunately this is not an Elvis Cole book. Its a dark, pedantic read with little to enjoy. I think its almost false advertising to have Elvis in this book.
  
  My impression is that the author has had some success recently with darker, more violent reads and is taking Elvis in that direction. Sorry, but you can take that trip without my wife and I. Bring back the real Elvis.
  
  
• Crais continues his sterling series
  By A3HPZ6BIMNXSZR on 2008-07-07
  (This is really more of a 4.5 star rating; dang it, Amazon, give us that option, wouldja?!)
  
  Like most of the reviewers here, I am a long-time Crais fan. I still can't remember who first turned me on to the Elvis Cole novels, but I'm eternally grateful.
  
  I rarely re-read books, but I've recently gone back to some of the older Cole novels, ending with The Forgotten Man (Elvis Cole Novels) in order to refresh my memory of where Elvis might be at this novel's start, and I'm glad I did that.
  
  This book is way too short for my liking; I read it in one day, mostly during bus rides thither and yon. And, you know, once you're done with a favorite author's work, you're just sitting there wondering how you'll survive the year or more until the next one is released. I wish it had been longer, hence the 4-star rating.
  
  This novel begins with Elvis and Pike back in a rhythm; Lucy Chenier (the woman Elvis loves) is still elsewhere, apart from Cole because of the violence that seems to be a permanent part of his world. Starkey is around, still lusting after Cole. Poitras, Cole's connection to the police, is here as well. And the cat--yep, he's still here. Complete with cat-titude. I love the scene where he basically melts in Pike's hands. (He loves Elvis, but apparently he adores Joe, whose sweet, tender side usually comes out only in moments like this one.)
  
  For the most part, this novel does not disappoint. Plenty of situations where Elvis has to pick apart the evidence he's given along with the stuff he uncovers. In this case, he's trying to determine whether a man he helped get off on a murder charge was really the murderer who then went on to kill even more women. Of course this means that Elvis has a stake in the investigation that goes beyond what a typical PI would have. That's not unusual, though. Elvis frequently becomes entangled in his investigations; that's what leads to much of the violence he experiences.
  
  What has always been great about Elvis Cole is his humanity, the sense that his core is so caring and. . .well. . .tender. That doesn't sound macho, I know. But it's how I see him. He's not tender when it comes to his actions or his propensity to violence. But when it comes to other people, to their sadness and vulnerability, to their loss and his role in any of those, he's soft. He's got heart.
  
  What I really liked about this novel:
  
  1) Starkey and her vulnerability (which co-exists quite nicely with her hardass nature and her intellect);
  
  2) Joe's clear understanding of the fragility of Elvis's grip on life (by this, I mean that after Elvis's near death of a couple of books back, Joe seems to be far less willing to let his friend approach danger without Pike standing right there with him); neither of these guys is terribly young at this point, and the risks they routinely take seem keenly felt by both; and
  
  3)the story itself, which wasn't predictable or yawn-worthy.
  
  If you've never read an Elvis Cole novel before, I urge you to pick up the whole lot of them. You don't need to read from beginning to end, but that would be a good thing if you want to see the evolution of the Elvis/Joe friendship and find out about both men in some sort of "natural" progression.
  
  
• A story this good from someone else would get four stars, but I know Bob can do so much better....
  By A28185JY1JJEYD on 2008-07-13
  I was really disappointed in this book. I agree with the other reviewers that the book felt flat, obligatory, and prematurely released.
  
  While the basic story was OK (a few unlikely plot twists, but I can live with that), there was nothing of the metastory that I love. Joe Pike was an improbable plastic cut-out figure of devotion. Starkey had none of her usual pathos and punch. Even Elvis seemed to be a perfunctory character sketch and the "cameo" from Lucy was just sad.
  
  I DETESTED the Watchman and felt that was an highly unsuccessful foray into making Pike the hero (talk about unlikely plot twists--yeesh). I pre-ordered this one months ago hoping Bob would be back on track. He certainly writes Elvis more compellingly as the lead, but for this book, overall, he seems to have been just phoning it in.
  
  Wonder if he can ever get back to the power of LA Requiem, one of my favorite books ever? THAT one was a five star book. This one, not so much.
  
  I am still glad I bought it though. LA Requiem earns Bob 10 years of hardback purchases before I re-evaluate. I have faith that we'll get something better eventually....And thanks for the awesome stories that have come before the last two, Bob.
  
  
• Wow! Exciting summer read.
  By A1U9E2IRBU39XG on 2008-07-15
  Let me start off by saying I absolutely *hate* books written in first person. I avoid them with a passion. There are very few authors that rise above my boycott of such books\characters and Robert Crais' Elvis Cole is one.
  
  I am one of the few that really did not care for the early Elvis Cole books. The character was a bit too smart-alecky for me, but he has (slightly) matured through the years. And Joe Pike? Please, I'm with Starkey, I'm friends with Cole in order to get close to Pike. ;-)
  
  "Chasing Darkness" started out with a great mystery and, although it had a few rough patches in the middle, it tied everything together in a well thought out mystery with a few curve balls tossed in. Yes, Lucy and, to some extent, Pike were sidelined, but it was good to see Starkey again. Reading about her functioning on the job and her obvious yearning to be back at the bomb squad was a painful but seeing her develop into a character with known demons that can communicate with Elvis and is more than just a passing conversation.
  
  I really enjoyed this book. I got to take away a message that I don't tend to find in most PI/detective mysteries - those working for justice don't always have to take the law into their own hands to see it achieved.
  
  
• Jump Suit Elvis
  By A1RBC3LGOQERZP on 2008-07-20
  This must be what it was like to see Elvis in Vegas in his later years. He's not the Elvis you expected, but you still like him because of his past. But in your heart of hearts you have to admit it was a big fat letdown.
  Elvis Cole here has his whole allstar ensemble - Joe Pike, Carol Starkey, Lou Poitras, John Chen, Lucy phones in. The stage is set, but there's no antagonist, no real threat. So, for this Elvis it's just a matter of going through the motions.
  So disappointing. Seems that there's a flabbiness, a lack of imagination. There's not a moment in the book when you think, how will he get out of this? Where's Joe, we need him now! Ohmygod, these bad guys really mean business!
  Pike has nothing to do but stand around and look menacing. Starkey is all personality but contributes little. Chen isn't even very horny. And, Cole's life is threatened only once - but by amateurs who are just really mad at him.
  Propped up by artificial urgency, the book includes a lot of running and driving around but with nothing much at stake. Then it ends with a fairly quiet whimper.
  
  
• Phoning it in
  By A1TE2L0DT2BXK2 on 2008-08-12
  Where's the spark? Elvis Cole is nothing close to his chirpy, irreverant self, Pike is a pale shadow of his usual formidable presence and Starkey seems like a caricature of herself. Towards the end, the book becomes mildly interesting when Cole finally figures out whodunit, but then Crais cheats his audience with the ending. After a break from Cole in which Crais penned two other novels, I'd a-thunk he'd have brought Elvis back well rested and in fine form, but Elvis Cole seems as bored as I was in this latest addition to the series.
  
  
• It's What Elvis Does--Chase Darkness!
  By A2838GZWXSF8KH on 2008-07-04
  Robert Crais is among the top mystery/thriller writers alive today. His work is amazing and I find his Elvis Cole/Joe Pike novels to be deeply engaging and addictive. Cole can take so many roles in his novels that the reader can never be totally comfortable with what to expect from novel to novel.
  
  "Chasing Darkness" is titled from Elvis's closing thought in the book, "I chase darkness to make room for the light". The title is apt because this is a much darker Elvis Cole novel than many of the ealier efforts. Elvis is confronted with evidence that his efforts to get an accused serial killer off three years earlier may have been a mistake and the killer has struck twice since, seemingly implicating him in their needless deaths.
  
  Elvis is shut out of the case by most of the police and authorities involved so, wracked with guilt and personal doubts, he works with the ever loyal, Joe Pike, and Detective Carol Starkey to begin unraveling the case bit by bit. And herein is one of the compelling elements of this book. Old fashioned detective work, hunches, and dubious facts all lead Cole deeper and deeper into the case and seemingly always a step ahead of the police who may or may not be involved in solving or covering up the case. Reading Cole's interactions with a powerful police task force is the stuff that Crais is so darn good at and which bring smiles to the loyal Elvis Cole reader.
  
  As usual in a Cole novel, not everyone is who or what they seem to be...lesser characters become major characters and potential villains turn out to be red herrings. Motives are never as simple as they appear initially and by mid novel, there is evidence of a potential police cover up, police politics at the highest levels, and incriminations involving local politicians and political power brokers. How Elvis maneuvers his way through all these conflicting trails to find the real truth to the serial murders and the case he worked on initially is powerful can't-stop-reading entertainment.
  
  Crais is a master at characterizations and place. He can make any character credible and believable as well as plant innocent comments or thoughts that later translate into important, life changing clues. He is also a master at describing Los Angeles and its environs in such a manner that you remember what he describes if you were ever there...and feel what he describes if you have never been there before.
  
  All in all, "Chasing Darkness" is a great addition to the Elvis Cole franchise...even if Joe Pike is underutilized in this one. This one deals with Cole's personal struggles with guilt, facing reality, and payback. As I said, it is a bit darker but that only adds texture to a great crime fighting character. And why not a bit darker, since that is what Elvis does--chase darkness to make room for the light.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO DID IT... THEN YOU DON'T... THEN YOU DO... THEN.."
  By A1623N94C3XATU on 2008-07-06
  Robert Crais is one of the best, if not the best, master's of the "wise-cracking-detective-with-a-unique-sidekick" genre, and he shows he still has what it takes in the latest installment of the Elvis Cole series. When Lionel Byrd is found dead and alone in his house in the Laurel Canyon hills an apparent victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the only company he has with him is a photo album embossed with the title: "MY HAPPY MEMORIES." Inside the album are seven graphic pictures of seven murdered women, depicted despicably in photo's ranging from being choked with a chord or wire that was wrapped so deeply into her neck it disappeared into her skin, while another woman's "neck had been slashed so many times it was shredded." One of the poor deceased souls was Yvonne Bennett a prostitute... and she is what ties Elvis Cole "THE WORLD'S GREATEST DETECTIVE" to this case.
  
  Three-years-ago Byrd was arrested for Yvonne's murder and confessed to the crime. His attorney, the famous J. Alan Levy hired Elvis to investigate the murder and see if he could find evidence to get his client off. Elvis was able to find a witness and a security tape that supposedly cleared him of the crime. But now three-years-later, along with Byrd's dead body, is a picture of Yvonne's dead body, which the police say could have only been taken by the murderer. Now everyone involved in the investigation, including all the grieving family members of the two additional girls that were murdered since Byrd's earlier release, blame their deaths on Elvis. And believe me, Elvis feels awful. So despite the fact that everyone in law enforcement from the Chief down to the street cops do not want Cole anywhere near the investigation... Cole has to answer to someone much more important than anyone in the legal chain of command... himself! "TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE!" Elvis will not... and cannot... rest... till he finds out who the true killer is. If you're an existing Elvis Cole fan you'll be happy to know a number of the unique and lovable cast of characters from earlier Cole novels are active in this episode. Of course we have his "dangerous-as-a-temperamental-cobra" number-one sidekick Joe Pike. (And as usual there is never enough of him.) There is also my favorite "supporting-supporting" character actor, criminalist John Chen, who in earlier books was described as "LIVING FOR THE TANG", but in this installment the author describes him as "a senior criminalist with the LAPD's Scientific Investigation Division, and one of the greediest people I knew. He was also a total paranoid." The first time Elvis calls him on the phone Chen says: "I can't talk. They're watching me." When Elvis tells him what he needs, Chen says: "This is going to cost you." When Cole and Chen get together for a clandestine meeting, Crais shows the humor he's as famous for as Hershey's is for chocolate. "Chen pulled up in a SID wagon. Chen was tall and skinny, and watching him get out of the wagon was like watching a question mark unfold. His oversize glasses making him look like a suspicious parrot."
  
  Detective-Two Carol Starkey, the former bomb squad technician that was killed by a bomb in an earlier episode but lived to talk about it, has a great backup role. She is still chain smoking cigarettes but is now learning the ropes in homicide. When she first enters the scene she is drinking coffee from a "large black Hollywood Homicide mug with a big 187 stenciled on the side, which was the LAPD code for a homicide, along with the legend "OUR DAY BEGINS WHEN YOUR DAY ENDS." There is less levity than in other Cole novel's, but that's because Cole wears his heart on his sleeve, and takes the grieving families pain so personally. The author still paints short concise statements with as fine a brush as there is today: "HE WAS PROBABLY A PRETTY GOOD GUY AND I WOULD PROBABLY LIKE HIM IF HE WAS SOMEONE ELSE."
  
  There are a number of times the reader may think they have figured things out, but you may be surprised. I recommend this book highly, and the biggest problem I had with it, is akin to when I eat my favorite desert... it's so good... I want to eat it so fast... but I try to slow down to savor it... because when I'm done... I know it'll be awhile till I get another piece.
  
  
  
• Loved it!
  By ADYWTJVXR2C58 on 2008-07-07
  I am a huge Robert Crais fan and I was not disappointed with Chasing Darkness. It did not have the stong emotional story that the last two Elvis Cole novels, but it was a great mystery! It had some twists and turns; just when you think you know who did it...you find out you were wrong...maybe.
  
  I enjoyed Cole and Pike (as always) and was surprised to find that I liked Starkey in this book. Starkey is usualy a bit to "stalker like" for me. I did miss seeing what Elvis was cooking daily because I get some good ideas from him!
  
  Buy the book and read it. You won't be disappointed.
  
  
• Not your best, Mr. Crais
  By A15YRV4GRZQ2H7 on 2008-07-10
  I do agree with 'Savvy Spender'; this latest from one of my favorite authors is disappointing. I kept waiting for the story to take off, Elvis-fashion, and it never did.
  After the latest sorry offering from Lee Child, I too wonder if we're asking too much of authors to crank out annual books. Nevertheless, I'd rather read a mediocre Robert Crais than anything else around right now.
  To the author- please take a long break and come back to us refreshed, sassy, inventive, and sharp-witted. Elvis and Joe deserve only the best!
  Your loyal fan
  
  
• Not his best Elvis Cole story
  By A680RUE1FDO8B on 2008-07-12
  I like Robert Crais's Elvis Cole character, his sidekick Joe Pike and most of his other standing characters. The dialog is usually crisp and more than a little reminiscent of the classic noir novels of the 40s. The plots generally have a hole or two, but nothing that Crais's storytelling can't overcome.
  
  In "Chasing Darkness", Crais gets off to a strong start as police clear homes in the path of a Los Angeles wildfire and discover the body of Lionel Byrd, an apparent suicide. His body has been in his house for several days and at his feet is a photo album that ties him to the gruesome murders of seven young women.
  
  Thus it is that two nasty, snarling cops enter Elvis Cole's office while he is engaged in banter with his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike. The cops are hostile to Cole because three years ago, working for prominent criminal attorney Alan Levy who was representing Byrd pro bono, Cole discovered a surveillance tape that proved Byrd couldn't have committed the murder he was accused of. Since the dismissal of those charges, police now believe that Byrd committed two more killings and that Cole, having found the evidence that seemed to exonerate Byrd, is responsible for those deaths.
  
  Good opening.
  
  But things bog down quickly after that. The plot is simply too strained. Even Crais's usually strong storytelling isn't enough to pull the reader over some gaping holes, one of which is simply a massive chasm.
  
  Cops seem to be corrupt, evidence disappears as do mysteries strangers. Cole is attacked (no suprise there), rescued, warned of dire consequences and he labors on, ultimately solving the bit whodunit.
  
  Problem is that by the end of this tale, who cares? I didn't. It doesn't help that Crais telegraphs the conclusion long before he reaches it, making the last several chapters nothing more than a slog.
  
  "Chasing Darkness" is not awful. If it were the first work of someone new on the scene, it would be worth of high praise. But Robert Crais is not only a veteran, his Elvis Cole, Joe Pike and subsidiary characters are well established and Crais is an exceptionally strong storyteller. But he isn't up to the standards he has set in this book.
  
  It's okay and nothing more. You certainly won't question your sanity by reading "Chasing Darkness" all the way through, but you won't be bowled over either.
  
  Hopefully, Crais's next effort will be stronger.
  
  Jerry
  
  
  
  
  
• Another Solid Effort from Crais
  By A16QQ78I8J29PA on 2008-07-27
  I've read all of Robert Crais's crime novels, and CHASING DARKNESS probably ranks somewhere in the upper middle of his body of work. It's not a great novel like LA REQUIEM, but it's definitely an entertaining mystery with a lot of surprising twists and turns.
  
  CHASING DARKNESS is very much a very plot-driven book. Fortunately, the story is quite engaging. This is essentially a serial killer story, but it's told in a unique manner that keeps the reader guessing about the identity of the killer and the true intentions of the police. This novel is a bit too densely plotted for its own good, but I found the whole thing a very fun read from start to finish.
  
  Stylistically, CHASING DARKNESS is a bit of a throwback to the early Cole novels. Almost the entire novel is told from Cole's point of view, and Crais avoids using the mulititude of flashback scenes he employed in recent novels such as THE LAST DETECTIVE and THE FORGOTTEN MAN. Personally, I felt this decision produced a more streamlined plot with fewer digressions, which made for a more enjoyable read.
  
  Readers looking for the emotional depth of LA REQUIEM or even THE WATCHMAN will probably be disappointed by the lack of character development in this installment. But after the emotional intensity of the last several books, I'm guessing Crais just wanted to write a straightforward mystery this time out. In my opinion, he succeeded in writing a solid one here, and I think CHASING DARKNESS is well worth your time.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Vintage Crais, but not his best
  By ASSYZSM1U4XLP on 2008-07-02
  My tongue had been hanging out for a really good Crais "fix" for months, and this one didn't quite alleviate the craving.
  
  I was a bit disappointed in this book. Maybe my problem was that this relatively humorless, dark offering is too much like the rest of my life right now and I could have used more of the old smartmouthed Elvis.
  
  Still, I gave it 4 stars because even a so-so Crais novel would beat most of the stuff on the best seller lists hands down, and this one is definitely worth while, one of the best of the last 6 months or so - the LA atmospherics, strong characters and tight pacing are all there, it's just not as riveting as some of Crais' other novels.
  
  
• Crais, Elvis and Joe. The Tension Trio.
  By A1GN6F7APWZ7J3 on 2008-07-22
  Once again Robert Crais ratchets up the tension. And fun. You gotta love a PI (Elvis Cole) who never loses his sense of humor even when he's about to lose a few teeth. I can't get enough of Joe Pike, either, the go-to man, the fixer, the when-all-else-fails sidekick. The pair gets the bad guy, but not without more than enough twists, turns, and obstacles to render the reader exhausted. Robert, write faster!
  
  
• A Strong Opening Fades into the End
  By A1K1JW1C5CUSUZ on 2008-08-15
  Stephen King teaches novelists to think of an unusual situation to start the book and then let the book write itself from there. Chasing Darkness proves that formula isn't surefire advice. Despite a very interesting and unusual beginning, Chasing Darkness manages to end up feeling all too pedestrian at the end.
  
  Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are inspired characters who have provided their fans hours of amusement, entertainment, and dark humor. When those two are at it, the rest of the story doesn't matter so much.
  
  What do we make of this book which crowds out Joe almost entirely and gives us relatively little amusement, entertainment, and dark humor from Elvis? The plot had better be pretty good. And it starts off like that, until it twists into dry gulch you've been down far too many times before. As a result, the book ends with a whimper rather than a bang. It's definitely deflating for the reader.
  
  But if you are a dyed-in-the-wool fan of this series, you'll want to read the book. It's good enough not to skip. Keep your expectations low and you'll enjoy the book more than I did.
  
  
  
• Not just a pretty face..
  By A3H9RHXL6ZHFTV on 2008-07-06
  I loved this book! It felt like some dear family members came home to visit...
  
  I am a big fan of Robert Crais' and have read all his books from the very beginning. I am also a native of Los Angeles, and enjoy all the areas mentioned in his books...it really was surreal reading the opening paragraph talking about our fire season and red flag alerts while outside it is over 100 degrees and the air is smoky from the Goleta fire...
  
  I have met Mr. Crais at a book signing and I jokingly told him that he was better looking in person than on the back cover picture! Well, it was really true...
  
  So, was this book worth the money I spent on it? Absolutely...it was a great read and I really enjoyed the continuing stories about Elvis Cole and his trusted friend, Pike...I won't go into the story line, as others have done it much better than I could..
  
  Get this book! You'll be glad you did..
  
  Respectfully,
  
  Linda Holman aka L A Jewel
  
  
• NY Robert Crais Fan--Not Disappointed
  By A2NIEJK9OIZIOD on 2008-07-06
  After what seemed like an agonizing wait finally Chasing Darkness is out (and in Kindle edition, yay). I love this series and this book is a great addition. I do wish there was more Joe Pike in this installment, but I think the Joe Pike book The Watchman just whet my appetite for him. This book is very Elvis Cole centric and the story was engaging and a definite page turner. Fans of Robert Crais will definitely enjoy this latest book.
  
  
• Not long enough
  By A19P5NT8RZO6VK on 2008-07-08
  Having read all of Robert Crais's novels (except Hostage), it was nice to see Elvis Cole back in action. His last novel "Watchman" was more Joe Pike centered, with this installment centered around Elvis Cole. In my opinion Joe was not involved as much as I would have liked, but I understand exploring Elvis a little more deeper. This novel does exactly that...explore Elvis Cole's character and moral ethics. However, I was disappointed in the length of the novel, it seemed to develop to quickly, without the normal conflict and crisis levels common in Crais novels.
  
  The last few chapters felt like Robert was under pressure to finish the novel so it could meet a publishing deadline and he really left a lot of loose strings hanging with out logical conclusions. I won't go into specifics to ruin the book, but it seems like an antagonist becomes a willing partner within a few paragraphs, just so the book can conclude in pretty quick order.
  
  This is not to say I didn't thoroughly enjoyed the book, because I did, I just wish it could have been longer with more conflict...and more Elvis Cole signature wit.
  
  
• Not Up to the Crais Standard
  By A2N8RON1NT1N9G on 2008-07-13
  This novel is Exhibit A of what happens when an extraordinarily gifted writer feels compelled to publish but lacks the heart to write as well as he can. The book is too densely plotted at the expense of character development, doesn't develop themes adequately, especially the one invoked by the title, and doesn't use Joe Pike enough. "Chasing Darkness" is definitely still worth reading. Crais, after all, is still Crais. I hope he takes the time necessary in writing the next book to re-discover the joy of the characters.
  
  
• Crais is back!
  By A1K5K5K3F01210 on 2008-07-18
  Crais is back, in my humble opinion. I will say that I gave up on his work a while back. The stories and their touchy-feely relationships (I have enough of those with Robert B. Parker) with unintersting plots lost my interest...then on a whim at the library I picked up and read the first pages of THE WATCHMAN and was sucked right in and enjoyed it immensley.
  I wondered if he would carry this on, and Crais does. In a mirror image of his last book, Pike is a mere guest character and that is fine with me as this allows Crais to flesh out Elvis and does so in a way that does not get mired down in romantic relationships. CHASING DARKNESS opens up well well with enough mystery, suspense, surpirse, etc. to keep the reader going. This was one of those thankful reads with which I slowed down near the conclusion as I did not want it to end. Frankly I had all but given up on this series, and the author after a few unsatisfying books, but after Pike in The Watcman and Cole here in CHASING DARKNESS...I am happy to repeat - Crais is back to form!
  
  

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