Criminal Element (A Larry Cole Mystery) [Hardcover]

Hugh Holton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 9, 2002

Chicago police sergeant Joe Donegan came to the department with a plan. To him the police badge was a license to steal, a free ride, and an easy way to get whatever you want, whenever you want--without suffering the consequences. And when City Councilman Skip Murphy needs an embarrassing situation to go away, Donegan volunteers, as always for a price.

But Chicago Commander Larry Cole is searching for missing barmaid Sophie Novak, and the trail leads right to Skip Murphy's door. With Murphy eyeing a Congressional seat, Murphy won't let Larry Cole stand in his way. And with Donegan planning to ride Murphy's coattails to the top, Donegan will stop at nothing to bring down Cole. Commander Larry Cole has his work cut out for him, as secrets from his past are dredged up in a public spectacle. And Cole's problems may not just involve a breech into his past. Donegan's ruthlessness may shorten his future.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A crooked cop and an ambitious Chicago alderman battle it out with an honest detective in this overly long and drawn-out work from the late Holton (Time of the Assassins). Police officer Joe Donegan and Alderman Skip Murphy have long used their positions for personal financial gain. After Donegan assists Murphy in covering up a somewhat accidental murder, they become partners in numerous illegal activities. Playing the role of good cop is Larry Cole, who spends over ten years and 300 pages trying to take down Donegan and Murphy while also furthering his own career and dealing with the requisite love interest. Holton, a former Chicago police captain, obviously knows his police procedures, but stilted dialog, poor prose, and implausible plotting sink this one. A weak effort but one that may move in public libraries where crime fiction is popular. Craig L. Shufelt, Lane P.L., Fairfield, OH
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Chicago cop Joe Donegan, known to his peers as the "Lone Stranger," gets the opportunity to blackmail city councilman Skip Murphy, he's on it like a dog on a bone. What he doesn't realize is that Murphy is Donegan's amoral, corrupt equal. Murphy calls his bluff, and the pair form an uneasy but successful alliance. Police Commander Larry Cole senses a couple of rats in the political woodpile, but he can't figure out where to look until Murphy announces his bid for the U.S. Congress. Author Holton, a 33-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, passed away in early 2001. Commander Larry Cole, Holton's literary legacy, is equal parts Dirty Harry and James Bond. His adventures have taken him all over the world, and his foes have ranged from European royalty to the baddest gangstas in the 'hood. Holton's intimate knowledge of Chicago cops and politics has always played a key role in his crime novels but never more so than in this one. Holton and Cole will be missed. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (February 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312877870
• ISBN-13: 978-0312877873
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,026,868 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting Chicago police procedural, January 26, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Criminal Element (A Larry Cole Mystery) (Hardcover)

Chicago Alderman Skip Murphy kills his bedroom partner bargirl Sophie Novak during a rough sex incident. Knowing his career is dead if his deadly dalliance surfaces, Skip needs to cover up the crime. He turns to Violent Crimes Unit Detective Joe Donegan, an individual who uses the badge to successfully perform illegal activities, to help clean up his problem. Not only does the corpse burn to ashes, but also witnesses who have seen Skip with Sophie are killed.

Joe sees his new work as an upward mobility career move. Police Commander Larry Cole and his partner Sergeant Blackie Silvestri know the truth about Joe's revenue making actions, but struggle to find evidence to prove their case. Now they have a murder mystery that smells of Donegan, who slyly manages to keep one step ahead of his peers.

Donegan steals this police procedural, as the veteran team (in books too) seems to fail to stop this master felon. The story line of CRIMINAL ELEMENT moves quickly forward though Larry and Blackie appear hopeless and even somewhat pathetic in their chase of Joe. Hugh Holton, who recently past away, provides fans of his Chicago police procedural series with a pleasurable entry though the villain owns the novel.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful detective novel, October 10, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Criminal Element (A Larry Cole Mystery) (Hardcover)

Well-balanced, fast-moving, excellently written story of the author's view of the Chicago underbelly. I enjoyed the book as the best of the year, possibly of the decade, on Chicago cops.

5.0 out of 5 stars Hugh Holton's Criminal Element, December 29, 2011

By 

gmd - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Criminal Element (A Larry Cole Mystery) (Hardcover)

This is one of the best written books ever! Wow! It's a real page-turner. I couldn't stop reading until I finished it. Mr. Holton created awesome characters and numerous twists and turns. This book should be made into a movie!