The Watchman: A Joe Pike Novel (Joe Pike Novels) Reviews

• Man of Action

  
  By A1U360OMVQRPUB on 2007-02-28
  Joe Pike is the epitome of crime tough guys. Nobody does it better. He was a special forces soldier before he became an LAPD cop. He took the fall on charges that shouldn't have been dropped on him and was busted out of the LAPD. He became a mercenary and a some-time private eye that paired up with the World's Greatest Detective, Elvis Cole.
  
  He has red arrows pointing forward tattooed on his deltoids because Joe Pike does not back up.
  
  This is the guy I've been waiting years to read about. Author Robert Crais introduced one of the funniest and emotionally complex private detectives to come along in years in Elvis Cole, but he also crafted one of the hardest heroes to see print in decades. Joe Pike is the king of cool, the master of the understatement, and a man haunted by personal demons he'll never talk about.
  
  Hired by a friend of a friend, Joe agrees to bodyguard Larkin Barkley, a young woman who's the daughter of a multi-millionaire businessman. Larkin has a self-destructive tendency that only Joe seems to understand. Unfortunately, some of the same things she's in denial about are the same things that plague Joe. As the two fight to stay alive, and fight with each other, they come to realize that the only way they're going to get through the situation alive is to rely on and trust each other. Both of them have issues with that.
  
  Larkin is a witness in a brutal slaying. The murderer is believed to be a brutal head of a drug cartel who will stop at nothing to kill Larkin.
  
  The book starts off with a bang, with bullets ripping through the air and Pike's truck from the first pages to the close of the book. The novel grabs the reader by the throat and literally demands the reader's full attention. The assault on the reader's senses is relentless.
  
  Crais is an elaborate plotter, but it all makes sense when he shakes out the final twist. But the best thing of all is getting to ride shotgun with Joe Pike while he deals with enemy guns and the hostile past he has that keeps getting in the way while he's protecting Larkin.
  
  The dialogue, the descriptions, and the pacing are so well choreographed that you can see the movie spinning in your head. I liked the cameos that Elvis Cole had in this novel, but I'm glad Joe got to keep center stage. I really didn't think the novel would work that well because sometimes if a writer shines a light too brightly on an enigmatic hero that everything that existed is turned into a cheap trick.
  
  But Joe Pike is for real. He's an unstoppable force and an avenging angel all rolled into one. The publishers mention that this is a JOE PIKE NOVEL right on the cover. Hopefully there will be future installments. If so, they'd be most welcome.
  
  

• Starts out like a house on fire.....

  
  By A1TWTULVD6F22O on 2007-03-04
  
  You can accuse Crais of writing books that will become screenplays without too much effort, if you like. What does it matter when he consistently puts a capital "T" on the word Thriller? Crais' newest book, which had been trumpeted to feature the mysterious Elvis Cole sidekick, Joe Pike, serves up a stunning plot and some excellent insight into what drives Pike through the world as it is.
  
  Some typical glimpses of today's LA, complete with a little rich girl heroine compete with the fabric of Joe Pike's memories of life. From a horrific childhood, to his work on the LA Police force, his bond with Elvis and his need to "right the wrongness" of the world, Pike is a fascinating character study. Could not, really not, put the book down.
  
  
  
  

• Everything's Zen

  
  By A1SKNS2DGG46XM on 2007-03-10
  In Joe Pike, "the world's greatest detective's" enigmatic and stoically violent sidekick of the "Elvis Cole" novels, the talented Robert Crais has created one of most intriguing characters in contemporary popular fiction. But with the wisecracking Cole still mostly sidelined from injuries suffered in "The Forgotten Man", Pike takes center stage in this well plotted, fast moving crime drama.
  
  With his red-arrowed forearms "going forward, never back", Pike, to repay an old debt, reluctantly takes on the task of protecting Larkin Barkley, a spoiled LA society brat drawn with shades of Paris Hilton, right down to the rat-dog-in-the-purse detail. Returning home from late night revelry, Barkley t-bones a Mercedes full of the wrong people, and in a convoluted twist, ends up as a witness under protection. But when it becomes clear that the folks who'd prefer that Barkley not testify are deadly serious, Joe Pike gets the job of keeping the pouting debutant safe and sound.
  
  As always, Crais' prose is witty and fast moving. Joe Pike, who is about as chatty as Mount Rushmore, is cleverly contrasted against Larkin's tantrums. And Elvis Cole, while taking care not to swing the spotlight too far away from Pike's solo debut, throws around enough of his patented one-liners to keep his hardcore base smiling. But if the bond that builds gradually between Joe and Barkley stretches the bounds of credibility just a bit, this is, after all, fiction, and besides, Crais does a masterful job of building the sexual tension and creating - perish the thought - the hint of a soft side to Pike's impenetrable persona.
  
  While perhaps lacking the edge and grit of today's "garage writers of grime" - guys like Charlie Huston, Duane Swierczynski, Charlie Stella, or Victor Gischler - Crais' polished pages capture LA's sleaze and majesty, designed for appeal to broad audiences. All in all, a slick and well-rendered effort from one of today's best writers of mainstream fiction - top entertainment that is well worth the time and the 15-buck hardcover.
  
  
  

• Joe Pike takes center stage. . .

  
  By A1BUZL7Z5Y2FTZ on 2007-03-01
  My copy of "The Watchman" arrived yesterday and I just turned the last page, sad to see it end-- I rarely finish a book that fast! Joe Pike takes center stage in this hard-boiled crime thriller. The enigmatic Pike has been a background character in the popular Crais, Elvis Cole series. Joe is somewhat forced into being a protector for a wealthy hot young heiress, who is also a big party girl (think Paris Hilton if she had a bit more brains and style). The Heiress, Larkin Barkely, is in mortal danger through a strange set of circumstances that are really no fault of her own. I don't won't spoil anything, but the villain here is as intense as any I have encountered in recent modern fiction, and he will stop at nothing to get his desired results. Pike, of course, will have something to say about the outcome. As always Crais's pacing and stylings are top notch and the author deserves his perch at the top of the thriller genre!
  
  

• DIVING INTO ADVENTURE IN THE PIKE POSITION

  
  By AN3D3M8MJ07BQ on 2007-09-22
  Joe Pike, silent partner in the Elvis Cole Detective Agency, takes center stage in this well orchestrated offering from Robert Crais, with Elvis Cole stepping into an important albeit "supporting role". For those who have followed the "strong, silent, mysterious Pike" through various Elvis Cole books.....we are finally offered a glimpse at Joe's military experiences, his time as an L.A.P.D. cop, and his relationship with his father. Joe may not be a guy brimming with emotion, but his quiet nature is perfectly fitted for this compelling character.
  
  Recommended by his old police force partner Bud Flynn, Joe is hired to protect Larkin Barkley, the beautiful, spoiled and largely ignored daughter of a real estate tycoon. Joe must utilize all of his accumulated training and experience (as well as his Colt Python and Kimber) to keep both he and Larkin out of the reaches of assassins as well as government agents.
  
  During the first few chapters of the book, I was so aggravated with the shallowness of the Larkin character, that I could have killed her myself.....or at least slapped the daylights out of her. (Crais must have used the antics of Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan and Brittany Spears for inspiration when developing this character). As the book progresses, Larkins behaviour is modified and the reader, like Pike and Cole, begins to relate to her. Larkin aside, I loved the pace, plot structure and language of this novel. It's an edgy thriller filled with enough action, plot twists, and body count to satisfy all lovers of suspense and daring exploits. Pike's appeal is his uncanny ability to anticipate the actions of his foes, and then out-plan and out-maneuver them.
  
  Fact of the matter is that Crais talent with the written word creates vivid pictures in your mind that would translate beautifully onto the silver screen. I can see any number of actors as Joe Pike. Bruce, Harrison and Arnold are getting a little "long in the tooth" for this sort of action, but how about Daniel Craig, Gerard Butler, or Clive Owen? Check out The Watchman and see if you don't agree? If not, do your own casting......it's a free country and your entitled to your opinion too.
  
  
  
• Grows on you as it builds up
  By A2QEA1RKT5N09I on 2007-03-01
  Around page 100, I would have rated this just 3-4 stars. It ends up as a firm 5 by the end. There seem to me to be two distinct strands in thriller writing -- character builders and plot artists. Crais is more of a plotter than a character guy; I never quite get inside his two heroes, Pike and Cole -- they seem just a little artificial. But he is superb in plotting. What begins as a routine story line weaves, turns, double backs and grabs you to the last pages. He is a good stylist -- deft, brief and precise. He is also superb in his portrayals of violence and cruelty; you get a sense here of Pike's dissociation and his own detachment. The heroine -- Paris Hilton but without the intellect -- does not come alive for me; again, too artificial. The villains are shadows not realities. But, this is a minor point. The book works superbly. I loved it.
  
  
• Grabs You On Page #1.......
  By A1IYTG6ED24RZQ on 2007-03-01
  This is typical Robert Crais-AWESOME! I purchased this book the day it come out. I was in the middle of reading a different book, but I decided I would tease myself and read the first page of The Watchman. I couldn't put it down!
  
  A fantastic story, that builds the suspense and pressure until the books memorable conclusion! I read this book in one day! The only regret I have is, having to wait another full year until the next Robert Crais novel comes out. Thank you for an amazing experience Mr. Crais!
  
  
• Starts Strong, Fizzles Out
  By A36T9UHGZSLLJ8 on 2007-03-08
  I'm a fan of Joe Pike, have been since the beginning of the series and I was excited about a novel in the series that featured the character as opposed to Elvis and his love life. Sadly, we've been given a thinly plotted story about Joe's love life.
  
  I found the plot cobbled together, essentially rehashed from other novels in the series. If this offering was meant as character development for Joe Pike, then it succeeds but only somewhat (we don't really learn much more about Joe than what we already know -- he's the toughest human on the planet); if it's meant to be a taut thriller, then it fails.
  
  Pike was too cliched, he came off as almost cartoonish; in fact all of the characters were cliched, if not downright unpleasant. I found it stretching credibility that Pike would fall for a spoiled Paris Hilton figure. Overall, the story was unbelievable.
  
  Crais can do much, much better. The only reason it gets 2 stars from me is that I'm a big fan of the series. Crais needs to slow down, write one book at a time, and get back to enjoying the camaraderie between Pike and Cole.
  
  
• Disappointed
  By A1987L88F2HF7M on 2007-03-08
  I am a huge fan of Robert Crais and the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series. I preordered this and, when it arrived, I expected to stay up all night reading. Instead, I found myself falling asleep after just a few pages. After the adrenaline rush of the first gun battle, I was bored, bored, bored with this story. Having read all of the previous titles in the series, I can't say that I learned anything new about either Joe Pike or Elvis Cole. The psycho babble between Joe and Larkin seemed forced and completely unbelievable to me. I really regret paying for this in hardcover. If you are a diehard fan of the series and have to read the book, I strongly recommend borrowing it from the library. I rated the book two stars only because I have enjoyed Robert Crais' other work too much to slight him with just one star.
  
  
• Don't Listen to the Naysayers!
  By AXK5GN8DXB80X on 2007-03-12
  This book is great! Sure, it's not an Elvis Cole novel. It actually states on the cover that it's a Joe Pike novel so bitching about there not being enough Elvis is like crying that Carol Starkey didn't show up or that John Chen didn't get enough face time. It's irrelevant to make such complaints and only shows the readers inability to be open to an author's new ideas. Sometimes the same-old, same-old gets old after awhile!
  
  I feel that Crais writing the book from Pike's POV opened a whole different avenue to the Elvis and Joe books. If anything, we got to see the dynamic of their relationship from Pike's POV - giving us more insight into their relationship. Also, it got to see more of how Pike interacts with other people. We always see things from Elvis' POV but not in Watchman! This is Joe Pike's story and like many Crais fans, I have been waiting for it since LA Requiem!
  
  All that being said, let me really get into the meat of the story: this book sizzles! It starts off like a rocket and doesn't slow down. I found myself having to stop reading it because I'd already thrown another 50 pages down and would finish it too fast. As it was I started it on Friday night (but only read 20 pages or so) and off and on over the weekend, I finished the book. It isn't too long at 290 pages but every single page of this book is written so tight, plotted so perfectly, and delivered so fantastically, you will find yourself very satisfied (as a reader and a consumer) when you finish the last page... and quite eager for more!
  
  FYI: Saw Crais that Friday 3/9/07 and he's working on next Elvis and Joe book. Sounds like Elvis will be back in the driver's seat. Mr. Crais, the force is strong with you!
  
  
• Just Didn't Do It For Me -
  By A25E44CFFC4B7T on 2007-04-20
  There are a lot of reviews of this book already posted and they are almost universal in their praise for this book. I was certainly looking forward to it as I have felt that Crais has been getting better with every book and to have a story which features the enigmatic Joe Pike looked to be very interesting.
  
  My feeling about the book are best explained by recaling the comic strip Peanuts and the time when Snoopy was going to return to The Daisy Hill Puppy Farm for a reunion with all of the puppies he knew when he was little. He went dancing off to the reunion and several days later he returned, threw his pack into the dog house and went to lie on the ridgepole. Charlie Brown comes running up and says "Well? How was it?"
  In the bubble over Snoopy's head he replies, "The anticipation far exceeded the actual event."
  
  And that's how I feel about The Watchman. I now know more about Joe Pike's background than I really need to and he continues to be a stalwart person and a loyal one. The story which has been outlined by others I found to be a bit tedious. Having said that, I realize that this is a very minority opinion and if you are a Robert Crais fan, I would not let my reaction to this book put you off from reading it. Maybe I am just having a bad reading week.
  
  However, I always try to tell it like I see it. In this instance, though I think you should rely more on what others have had to say.
  
  
• Prime Crime
  By A35DI28HRSEEP6 on 2007-03-03
  It's all here--murder, mayhem, terrorism, duplicitous G-men, corrupt lawyers, a beautiful woman . . . and Joe Pike. Elvis is along for the ride, but this is Joe's show. Elvis' invincible sidekick, Rambo in La-La land.
  
  The plot is tight, the canvas small, the pages flying as fast as the books are leaving the shelves. This is the first top-flight crime novel of 2007. How could it not be, with JP at center stage? Whatever you expected, you won't be disappointed. There's even some additional information on Joe's youth, his brief career in the LAPD and (heaven forfend) a brush with love.
  
  This is the complete package. Buy it now, but don't start reading it until you've blocked out the time to read it through.
  
  Memo to Robert Crais: send us more Joe Pike at your earliest convenience.
  
  
• Less Is More
  By AYT4FJYVCHYLE on 2007-03-12
  In theory, the idea of an entire book devoted to the character I think everyone loves the most in the Elvis Cole novels is great. However by the time I finished I felt like the original recipe was better than the new. There's something about knowing too much about Joe that takes away his cool mystique. I don't want to see a tender side, and especially when it revolves around a character who seems to be spawned from the Paris Hilton school of heiress's. That's not to say the book isn't enjoyable and engaging, it is. It's just that it's a little like seeing the man behind the great and terrible Oz.
  
  
• Crais can do much better
  By A38SNF49B4DFDW on 2007-05-15
  The Watchman is a mediocre book by an author who can do much better. Over the last decade or so, Robert Crais has written a number of page turners in which, besides his trademark ability to move the story along, he has crafted intricate plots and interesting, if not altogether believable, characters, with a sprinkling of humor thrown in for good measure. In contrast, The Watchman falls flat on almost all counts.
  While The Watchman's premise is interesting, the story is quick to fizzle. One of the villains is all but given away in an early scene, and, from the middle of the book on, one gets the feeling that Crais is stuffing in filler material to meet a minimum required number of pages. There is only one twist in the plot, and it's not really significant enough to cause a major change in the general direction of things.
  Another reason why the book is not much of a thriller is that it's difficult to empathize with the characters. Bad things are happening, to be sure, but to people one doesn't care much about. Joe Pike, who in other books has worked quite well both as alter ego to Elvis Cole, and, less often, as a main character, is just too two-dimensional in the Watchman, and Crais's attempts to focus on his more vulnerable side seem contrived. Sexual tension, which the author has put to good use in previous books, adds little to this one. But then a twenty-something woman who comes out with lines like: "It's difficult being me", yet can afford to wreck an expensive convertible without second thoughts, is not exactly easy to sympathize with, and the few sparks between her and Pike seem artificial rather than naturally occurring. Relegated to the sidelines, the usually upbeat Cole comes across as corny, if not utterly moronic. Even the character of John Chen, who normally provides entertaining diversions along with key forensic insights, can't add any spice to the hapless mix.
  To tie the one loose end of the story, Crais resorts to an unnecessarily drawn out and gory epilogue. The same effect could have easily been achieved in a more subtle, succinct and tasteful way by having Cole read a blurb on a newspaper and letting the reader's imagination fill the voids. Again, one gets the impression that there was a length requirement to fulfill, hence the gratuitous and disjointed appendage.
  All in all, to the reader accustomed to the likes of LA Requiem and The Two Minute Rule, the Watchman will prove a disappointment. None of the elements that make Crais shine in previous books seem to work in his latest. Knowing what this author has to offer, one can only hope that The Watchman is just a temporary lapse rather than an indication that Crais has lost his touch.
  
  
  
• The Watchman is a remarkable book
  By A27WFYW9ZJ5DN1 on 2007-09-20
  Robert Crais' The Watchman is a very inventive change from his novel focus on Elvis Cole to a stunningly intense focus on Joe Pike, Elvis Cole's side-kick and chief muscle. By developing a book in which Pike has to protect a young woman who is wanted by a relentless team of criminal killers, the book moves you straight into a world of non-stop violence, steady commitment to survival by doing whatever it takes and the virtues of a highly trained, very skilled person doing what he does best against bad people trying to do the worst they can. If you want an evening of forgetting everything else and going along for the ride, The Watchman is a remarkable book.
  
  
• nobody does it better
  By A3R6PI47EF3F83 on 2007-02-28
  The cover photo of Crais shows him wearing shades. That shot is a metaphor for Joe Pike. Pike has finally taken over.
  
  Crais has written many books about the PI Elvis Cole. Pike was always there, looming on the periphery. Joe Pike finally won out and Elvis has been relegated to third wheel. It's all good.
  
  Pike is a scary but loveable guy. He's asked to protect a beautiful and rich young woman, sort of a Paris Hilton with brains and charisma. She is a handful. Somebody is trying to kill her.
  
  Joe Pike is now the Crais franchise. This book leaves no doubt. Crais is a master plotter. Awesome read!
  
  
• Robert Craise does it AGAIN!
  By A21NVBFIEQWDSG on 2007-02-28
  Usually it's Joe Pike who pops on the scene and helps Elvis Cole with a problem. But in Robert Crais' new novel, The Watchman, it's all about Joe Pike. And that's a good thing.
  
  Joe Pike owes a man a favor. It's been a long time since he made this promise, but the agreement was that whenever the man called and whatever he asked for, Pike would agree to take the challenge.
  
  Pike signs on to protect the life of Larkin Conner Barkley, a super-rich, super-spoiled (think Paris Hilton) woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up in the witness protection program. But Larkin wasn't really protected. Prior to Pike showing up, several attempts were made on her life. It looked like an inside job.
  
  Pike decides to take the difficult Larkin and fade into the landscape of Los Angeles and turn the tables on the hunter. He's going to hunt him. Joe's determination results in the body count increasing each day. He enlists Elvis Cole's help and they learn that nothing is as it seems--and no one is who they say they are. The biggest problem may be the woman they have to protect. She's not making things easy for Joe Pike.
  
  I love the Elvis Cole novels, but I adore Joe Pike. The Watchman is gritty and fast-paced and the plot is intriguing. But it's Joe Pike and his story and relationship with Larkin Barkley that makes The Watchman sizzle.
  
  Armchair Interviews says: A must read. It's a winner. You'll want more of Joe Pike.
  
  
• It's up to ex-cop Joe Pike to protect her.
  By A14OJS0VWMOSWO on 2007-06-10
  Robert Crais' THE WATCHMAN receives Chicago actor James Daniels' smooth and vivid narrative style as it tells of one Larkin Barkley, who is young, rich, and the sole witness to a secret federal investigation in the aftermath of a terrible accident. Her life is changed and it's up to ex-cop Joe Pike to protect her.
  
  
• Great action novel about today's anti-hero.
  By A256G5QDO4F27A on 2007-06-17
  This was the first Elvis Cole "series" I have read and I am hooked. Now starting with Monkey's Raincoat, I look forward to reading all the Cole novels. There seem to be a number of anti-hero sidekicks to todays PI's. Spenser has Hawk, Patrick Kenzie has Bubby for example.
  
  The character Joe Pike most reminds me of is a spitting image of Lee Child's Jack Reacher. Brutal, quiet loners. But for some reason, Pike seems a bit more human, a bit more flawed. I hope Crais writes using him as the lead in future books. If you like hard action novels- this is the book for you. I was excited to find a new series to read. Now if only Dennis Lehane can release a new Kenzie/Gennaro novel.
  
  
• Quality writing with a weak story
  By A37H6FU2VFJ1KF on 2007-06-25
  The attraction to me of Crais' work is that he writes so well, and he carries that through at least in part, in The Watchman. However, this "Joe Pike" novel isn't told exclusively from Pike's point of view. There are several other characters who contribute to the story, filling-in what Joe Pike doesn't know at any given time. This is weak storytelling, and this comes through when Crais "tells", rather than "shows".
  
  The result is a weak read, far from the best (or even the usual) quality that Crais puts out. The story also lacks pace after the opening chapters, and this despite it being rather short. I won't spoil the read by revealing the plot, but suffice to say, the ultimate bad guy in the story is somewhat obvious early on and it is something of a cliche.
  
  It greives me to write this review, as I am a fan of Crais' work and have read most, if not all that he has done.
  
  I look forward to a return to form in future works.
  
  
• Crais Muscles Up...
  By A3QX61LA0OJB2U on 2007-03-05
  Nope, not a misprint...this is, in fact, a JOE PIKE novel. To be precise, the book comprises 5 days, more or less, in the life of one of crime fiction's most enigmatic characters. But fear not, the sunlight of Crais' novel does nothing to disinfect the power of that aura. If anything, it becomes more complex.
  
  The Watchman is largely the story of Larkin Connor Barkley, a composite of many young rich girls that anyone with the slightest bit of pop culture awareness knows all about. In plot details readily available on jacket flaps, etc., we are told that Lauren's witnessing of a crime, and subsequent civically-responsible reporting of that crime, has put her in some danger. And, as all Crais readers know, danger is Joe Pike's middle name. Pike is hired by his former LAPD mentor to protect this Spoiled Hollywood Handful, and off we go.
  
  You will get to know Larkin Connor Barkley. You will be annoyed and exasperated by her, you will be afraid for her, and, unless you are some kind of heartless bastard, you will fall hard for her. That's called character development, folks, and Crais is pretty darn good at it. Her arc is the soul of the book, and it provides exciting thrills, fearsome danger, and yes, some tragedy. The relationship between her and Pike is developed with the love and care you'd expect from Crais, and it will break your heart if you let it.
  
  Pike's job in The Watchman requires some assistance, and it should come as no surprise that he turns to a "minor" character in the Crais-iverse, some Disney-nerd PI named Elvis Cole. For those that pay attention to these things, think about how hard it must be for a writer to third-person a character he's spent nearly 20 years establishing the voice for one of popular fiction's best first-person heroes. Connelly did it in reverse with Harry Bosch for awhile, but that's way different. Elvis' voice is much more distinctive, primarily due to its humor.
  
  Elvis Cole, in The Watchman, is the source of both plot advancement and humor, as you would expect. For Crais to be able to show Elvis as the wise-acre he is from this perspective is a major reward of the book for his long-time readers. He brings us up to speed on Elvis' current state, following the brutal events of The Forgotten Man, without dwelling on them. This is, after all, a Joe Pike novel.
  
  Since it is, the themes involved must harden a bit from the Elvis books, and they do. Crais spends a fair amount of time talking about honor and loyalty, since those are gigantic parts of Pike's DNA. The stakes are higher, the action is more brutal, and the price of failure is staggering. We know that Pike's past includes very high prices paid for his devotion to these concepts, it's why he is loved amongst Crais' readers.
  
  But we do learn more about Pike. Or maybe, more accurately, we go deeper into aspects of Pike's life we already knew about. Crais refreshes our memories about the major events in Pike's life hinted at in previous books, and digs deeper into them. Of course, he brings fresh events from the past into play, as Pike negotiates the twisted trail of brutal assassins, dubious feds and ethics-starved land-grabbers putting Larkin's future into such peril.
  
  Oh, and then there's John Chen. Regular readers know the name. Crime scene tech. Legend in his own mind. Self-styled Mack Daddy. Watching how Crais has brought him along over the years is a hoot, and in The Watchman he plays a major part, putting all he holds dear on the line for Joe Pike. His motivations are hilarious, his chapters will etch a constant smile on the reader's face.
  
  Did we mention The Watchman is a Joe Pike novel? This has to be emphasized. Everything is turned up an appropriate notch. Crais brings Pike up to a level approaching, say, Lee Child's Jack Reacher. We are given glimpses of Pike's heart and soul. In some cases, it's not pretty. But it's damn compelling. And it's yet another reason why Crais is an Alpha Dog in the yard that is crime fiction.
  
  
  
• 80/20 Rule?
  By A3O8T91MX1E5JV on 2007-03-06
  While I originally responded very favorably to the character of Elvis Cole, I'm one of those people who--while never missing later novels of Crais's series--would started skipping ahead to see when Joe Pike would appear.
  
  I finally got my wish with a novel focused much more intently on the World's Greatest Sidekick. (Although, of course, the idea of Joe's role being summed up as "sidekick" could be seen as somewhat disrespectful to a character than I'm sure *none* of us would ever, ever want to dis.)
  
  One serendipitous result of turning his attention more toward Mr-Sunglasses-at-Night is that The Watchman is a significantly better read than some of Crais's recent work, and one that renewed my interest in his erstwhile main character.
  
  Bogged down with the whole "Luce", will-she-or-won't-she? thing, EC had become--dare I say it?--just an eentsy, weentsy bit boring. But, man, he's in great form in the reverse-sidekick role: tougher, smarter and way *funnier* than he has been in a while.
  
  And, like Cole, the reader is *yanked* into the action of this novel...and eventually comes to feel as stressed as Joe's targets, as nervous as John Chen, and might even start crushing like Larkin Barkley. (Of course, many of us have been crushing on Joe for years, but he will probably gain some new fans with this installment.)
  
  Speed thrills, and the action of The Watchman is propulsive. So is one's reading of the novel. I tried to stretch it out as long as I could, but still...it was one--too short--sitting.
  
  I'm sure Roberto has many EC plotlines sketched out, where Elvis gets 80% of the pagetime, and Joe is back to about 20. But I am so, so hopeful that that ratio will get switched again soon.
  
  My final praise of The Watchman concerns the many great taglines that arise from the rip-stop action. I'm only going to quote one, because I don't want to spoil any surprises. The maxim that informs Joe's decisions/attitude in this book came to mean a lot to me, even though I couldn't do a pushup to save my life. I know now that I must always, always...stay groovy.
  
  
• Fantasy fuel!
  By AGPGGAZB234Y8 on 2007-03-06
  At last, here's the book we Crais fans have anticipated, dreamed of, salivated over ever since Mr. C, aka The Boss, announced it on the 2006 tour for "Two-Minute Rule." A Joe Pike novel. The very idea hit my brain the same way a Graeter's hot fudge sundae hits the taste buds. Yum!
  
  First impression of this book: It was well worth the wait. No, hold on, I lie. That wasn't the first impression. The FIRST impression was when I was standing in the bookstore, picked up the book and checked out the author's photo on the dustjacket. OMG. Now that made an impression! Nevertheless, I do not read these books just because the author is a verifiable, certifiable, knock-me-down-with-a-pheromone hottie.
  
  What did I like about this book, once I got beyond judging the cover? OK, we finally get what we've all wanted, which is to learn something about Joe Pike - such as (don't worry, no spoilers here!) his opinion of Elvis Cole; how he feels about his father; we get a better description of where Joe lives; why he became a cop (if you've read "L.A. Requiem" you already know why he isn't a cop anymore); what he did in the years between being a cop and forming a partnership with Elvis. So we learn quite a bit about Joe. And yet...everything you learn about him either raises more questions, or simply leads you, Pike-like, down a blind alley. And you must trust me on this: That is a good, good thing. Because as curious as I am about Joe, I really don't want to know too much. I LIKE that mystique about him, I LIKE him being unfathomable, unpredictable. Crais gives us a major insight into Joe's character, exposing the nobility of this Galahad (if you hadn't already picked up on that quality in "L.A. Requiem," read it again), and he juxtaposes this knight errant against a highly sheltered young woman who finds his demeanor and skills freakish. So no matter how infatuated the reader is with Pike, the woman reminds you that whatever else he may be, Pike is not normal. Mainstream is not a word Pike is conversant with, unless there's a weapon by that name somewhere.
  
  I also liked that the author kept faith with his other books by harking back to the father-son conflict again although in this case he has expanded the motif to include and feature the father-daughter version, as spoiled rich girl Larkin Barkley works very hard to capture her father's attention. The father's character is not so clearly defined as that of his daughter; Connor Barkley is little more than a smoggy smudge in the southern California landscape. So his actions toward the end of the book are, to me, almost incomprehensible, they seem to come out of left field. I'm not slamming Crais for this, I think he intended for Papa Barkley to remain an enigma. The fathers in Crais's books are rarely explained or understood except in terms of how their actions affect their sons. Who could understand the monster that was Pike's father or what drove him? Or the ghost that was Elvis's father? Max Holman ("The Two-Minute Rule") may be Crais's most clearly defined parent, but we only get to know him in terms of his reaction to his son's death. So Connor Barkley's motivations and emotions can only be guessed at by watching others act and react around him. Our degree of acquaintance with the characters in this book, save for those chapters told from Elvis's or Larkin's POV, is dictated by Pike's judgement on who matters and who does not in a given situation, and Connor Barkley matters very little to Pike.
  
  It was a delight to see Elvis Cole back in form again, wise-cracking and in general being the best friend Pike could have. But best of all may have been the development of the relationship between Pike and forensic specialist John Chen. John's bad nerves provided some much-needed levity in a book this intense, but he also provides a moment for me as a reader to make a very basic connection to Pike.
  
  And now I need to go read this book again, because I read it straight through and between the high intensity and the cracking pace, I'm betting that I missed more than a couple of subtleties Crais tossed in. Final word: This is the kind of book that makes me wish I was a member of a book club so that I could discuss this story with others and hear what they have to say.
  
  On finishing a second reading (3/18/07), I did indeed note subtleties that I had missed the first time around. Throughout the book, Crais slowly peels back the layers of Joe's character and his relationship with Larkin in micro-thin layers, exposing the near-impenetrable Pike in moments that seem almost ordinary, such as Joe telling Elvis to pick up some strawberries and bananas for Larkin. Then later, he double-checks that Elvis bought the right things. Those simple, oh so ordinary actions, and others, pass almost unnoticed amidst the flying bullets and the puzzle of who is trying to kill Larkin, but those are the things that, if the reader is paying attention, show us the terrible tenderness that is buried inside of Pike. And while I was more sad for Joe after the second reading, I was more hopeful for him also.
  
  
• Good Cime Thriller!
  By AUGABW5AS2OXM on 2007-03-26
  This book is based in Los Angeles,California.The primary action figure
  in this novel is Joe Pike.He is an associate of Elvis Cole. He is a former
  Los Angeles City policeman.After a controversial incident Pike resigns and
  becomes a mercenary(his status as a former Marine helps out).He is disowned by his mentor Bud Flynn. After his stint as a mercenary he goes to work with Elvis Cole.
  His assignment in this novel is to protect Larkin Barkley. She is the daughter of billionaire Conner Barkley.On a late hours drive she has a wreck in her Aston -Martin with a silver Mercedes.This car is being driven by a couple named King.Another man flees in the opposite direction.Larkin identifies him as Alex Meesh.Because of this valuble
  information she is placed in Federal protective custody.
  After two near assassinations by death squads Joe Pike is called in to protect her.Pike and Larkin are also nearly killed by a death squad.Pike
  makes the decision to kidnap her and hide her out for her own safety.All
  of the law enforcement officials are searching for Pike and Barkley.It is here that you begin wondering who is evil and who is good.Elvis Cole and
  Pike make some stunning discoveries.This book contains action from start to finish. It hope Crais writes more books using Pike as a central figure.
  This is a good book. Read it.
  
  
• Subtle writing for a reticent Pike
  By A2SI6BNK5SWSMD on 2007-04-07
  Joe Pike owes a man a job and the man has called to collect. A young LA heiress was involved in a traffic accident and now people are trying to kill her. As bad guys keep finding them, Joe quickly realized someone on the inside is selling the girl out and the only one Joe can trust is Cole.
  
  This was an interesting book on several levels. There is Cole, taking a secondary role as he still recovers from the wounds inflicted in "The Forgotten Man." There is Larkin, the Paris Hilton-type character, who is finding out just how hard and dangerous life can be and the conjecture as to whey she acts as she does. But mainly, there is Joe, about whom we learn more of his background, particularly why he joined the police force and why he left. One of the most interesting parts is watching Joe become a bit more accessible as he helps Larkin become a bit stronger. Even with those elements, there is a reticence in telling Joe's story that is very appropriate to the character. I wouldn't have expected the revealing of Joe's past to be as open and emotional as it was for Cole's past. It just wouldn't have fit with the character and I give great credit to Crais for that restraint. As one who loves this series, I found this an excellent read.
  
  
  
• Joe Pike is a supporting character
  By A310PX723RXOV8 on 2007-04-23
  Great supporting characters do not always make great lead characters. Joe Pike is a great supporting character, and one of the things that made him so is the sense of blank mystery he has in the earlier books by Robert Crais. Demystifying him, as happens to an extent here, makes him less impressive and less interesting.
  
  Elvis Cole, by contrast, is a better lead character than supporting character. The inner monologue that gives him so much life when he was the center of the book is here absent, and so we trade a lead character for a supporting one, and vice versa, and are worse off for both trades.
  
  
• Joe Pike is a compelling character but overall writing is lame
  By A1TET3W04U3I95 on 2007-03-15
  Robert Crais should take a long vacation, and rethink what he's doing.
  
  Joe Pike is a compelling character ( as is Elvis Cole) and the flashback background pieces on Pike work well in the book, showing Crais' best writing side, but otherwise all the other key characters are poorly sketched, and the writing to support the lame story line is pathetic -- like a pastiche of bad screenplays Crais may have written and discarded.
  
  The picture on the back of the book show Crais projecting supercool, with Pike sunglasses. Maybe less self-regard, and better writing next time.
  
  
  
  
  
• No! Noooooooo!
  By A3HPZ6BIMNXSZR on 2007-03-10
  Dang it! I swore--double-dog-swore--that I'd read this one slowly, but I just. . .couldn't. . .do. . .it.
  
  I've always liked Mr. Crais's writing, but this book ranks with my favorites.
  
  Elvis Cole continues to be one of the protagonists I really want to get to know even better. I enjoy his humor, his humanity, his strong sense of loyalty to those whom he loves--all of that. Elvis Cole is simply a superbly-drawn character, an evocative (and provocative) one. I wait with great eagerness for each new "chapter" in his story much as I wait for the most interesting human beings I know in real life to tell me or show me more about themselves.
  
  This novel, however, as you likely already know, is a Joe Pike novel. Yep, it says that right there on the front cover. Says it right above this review somewhere, yes? Joe Pike has always drawn me as well, the way that someone truly enigmatic draws you. I could count on a couple of fingers the facts I had about Joe Pike before reading this novel. That was okay; I like enigmatic characters. All that mystery, all the stuff you have to fill in with your own imagination--I don't mind that at all.
  
  But it was wonderful, truly wonderful, to finally get some extended insight into what moves the man, what has shaped him, and into what drives him. From previous novels in this series, you likely would already know that he, too, has a strong sense of loyalty, that he was in the military, was a cop, loves Elvis like a brother. Yes, you'd know all that. (Okay, I guess that would take up more than two fingers. I was exaggerating for effect up there.)
  
  But what this book does is flesh out the character without totally revealing who he is. It would have been easy to fully craft him, to give so much information that the mystery of who he is today would cease to be much of a mystery at all. It would be easy to make him one huge cliché.
  
  What happens in this book is that the reader gets enough info to begin to understand Pike, to see him as more than Elvis Cole's sidekick, to begin to comprehend why he makes the choices he makes and what loving someone means to him. We find out about a strong and loving relationship he had with his training officer. We discover more about the kind of man he is as we learn about his concept of family and what family requires from him. We find out in more depth what he thinks of Elvis, and we see Pike defining what love is to him for us to understand.
  
  I was utterly enthralled throughout the whole book. I didn't come across one single chapter that made me want to skip around (I typically don't encounter those in Mr. Crais' writing, anyway) or read quickly to get to juicier stuff. The plot moved at a great pace; the blend of emotional "action" and physical action was perfect. There was enough Elvis Cole in the novel to satisfy my craving for his humor and personality. The other characters were equally well-drawn and didn't fall neatly into stereotypical categories. I love being surprised when a writer remembers that well-rounded characters are infinitely more interesting than the "bad guy"/"good guy" stereotypes. You'd think more writers get that, but really--lots of them don't.
  
  Overall, I am greatly saddened that I was unable to keep my promise to read slowly. I tried; really, I did. But I should have known better. I've always struggled to make Mr. Crais's books last.
  
  There's only one solution.
  
  Mr. Crais--write longer books!!!!!
  
  
• Crais is at the top of his form
  By A680RUE1FDO8B on 2007-04-25
  There's nothing to match a thriller that keeps you turning pages until your eyes are literally tearing. "The Watchman" is that kind of book: you don't want to put it down - and there's a certain sadness when you finally read the last word on the last page. You don't want it to end.
  
  This novel is in the same select class with anything written by Vince Flynn, Lee Child or Barry Eisler before he turned John Rain into a metrosexual wimp.
  
  Joe Pike is a creature made of short declarative sentences. A former LAPD cop, he doesn't show much on the outside, but carries a heavy burden inside. He doesn't like bullies he told his long-ago training officer Bud Flynn. Decades later, Flynn helps recruit Pike for a special job, protecting the 22 year old daughter of a Los Angeles billionaire. She was in a traffic accident, played the good citizen and reported the accident. Now there are attempts on her life. With the feds and the LAPD involved, someone is leaking info on where the girl is stashed - and the gun-toting bad guys keep showing up at each new location.
  
  Pike and the girl don't exactly hit it off. He understands life and death: she doesn't seem to understand anything. Pike soon is turning the tables on the bad guys, making them the hunted instead of the hunters.
  
  Elvis Cole, a very unusual private detective, is along for the ride on this one. Crais is a master at weaving Cole into the story. Where Perry Mason had Della Street, Pike has Cole. It's a good device.
  
  "The Watchman" never stops. Crais' plotting is superb and strong. There are virtually no holes in the plot to give you pause.
  
  Pike and Elvis Cole are strongly drawn characters. The girl, Larkin Conner grows throughout the novel.
  
  The story has a number of twists and turns, none of which I found predictable. Only toward the end do the threads start coming together - which is the way it should be.
  
  The conclusion is strong, marred only by one not quite believable bit of action.
  
  In short, this is a great thriller. A true page turner. You can't wait to get to the end - and when you do, you're sorry that the story has come to an end. Any thriller fan should enjoy Crais's latest outing.
  
  Jerry
  
  
• Excellent, Fast Paced, Well Written
  By A1ZJJWF69R31ZL on 2007-06-04
  This is my first Robert Crais book and I have to say - it was excellent. The writing was top-notch, the story appropriately suspenseful, a real page turner. What I liked the most, however, what set it apart from most other mystery writers (Harlan Coben, Greg Iles excepted), is his development of characters and relationships. From the beginning, this story was not just about the thrills and chills, but also about a damaged man, excellent at his craft as a mercenary who is hired to "watch" an L.A. rich kid, to keep her from getting killed. The relationship that develops between Joe Pike and Larkin Barkley is fascinating as their lives intersect and intertwine until the conclusion, which was as it should be considering these characters. The supporting characters were well written. Even though it was the first book I've read by this author, my research shows he has written a series of books featuring Elvis Cole, one of the supporting characters, I felt as though I had a handle on this character's personality. I liked it enough that I am going to read more of his books. We'll see if I like him enough to put him in my "favorite authors" category. Nevertheless, The Watchman is an excellent book - I highly recommend it.
  
  

• Bad Luck and Trouble (Jack Reacher)
• The Overlook (Harry Bosch)
• Forgotten Man, The (Elvis Cole)
• Chasing Darkness: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole)
• Indigo Slam: An Elvis Cole Novel