Stalking the Angel (Mass Market Paperback)

by Robert Crais (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Undoubtedly prompted by the success of recent Crais bestsellers (Demolition Angel; Hostage), his audio publishers have gone back to the second book in his increasingly popular Elvis Cole series, originally published in 1989, for a lively and colorful outing that manages to capture much of the author's early innocence and freshness. Stuart brings the quirky Cole to life quickly, combining his strengths (tenacity, incorruptibility, frequent flashes of humor) with his oddities (his love of the Disney artifacts that litter his office) to make a credible whole person. Other characters emerge with equal vocal skill: the enigmatic Joe Pike, Cole's muscular sidekick; a glowering Los Angeles property developer, his alcohol-impaired wife and their fragile adolescent daughter, who winds up being kidnapped by Japanese gangsters. Cole, hired to find a rare Japanese manuscript, discovers that the teenager's fate is very important to him personally forging a bond between the detective and children in peril that has become a hallmark of the series. For those who have been fans of Elvis since book one, The Monkey's Raincoat, it's good to have his early adventures around to listen to. For more recent Crais converts, this could prove an eye-opening revelation of how Cole got to be who he is. Based on the Bantam mass market.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Hard-nosed private detective Elvis Cole returns ( The Monkey's Raincoat ) to do battle for a teenaged girl kidnapped as part of a scheme involving the theft of a priceless Japanese manuscript outlining samurai behavior. While Cole's wry sarcasm and attempts at "cute" often fall flat, his humanity and integrity carry him through an apparently convoluted but mostly transparent plot. Los Angeles settings, Japanese heavies, wild action, and businesslike prose, however, make this better than many.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Crimeline (March 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553286447
• ISBN-13: 978-0553286441
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,144 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #14 in	Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( C ) > Crais, Robert
  #55 in	Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Mystery > Hard-Boiled

• This is item 2 in The Elvis Cole Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The return of Elvis Cole - what a ride!, July 4, 1999

By	PJ Nunn ([e-mail]) (Palmer, TX) - See all my reviews

Now, if you're wondering how a hardboiled mystery could ever make you laugh, you obviously haven't met Elvis Cole. This is a series I resisted at first - I guess I was put off by the thought of a detective named Elvis. But I'm hooked and I think you will be too! Stalking the Angel hits the ground running on page one and I didn't put it down until the last page was read. Wise cracking Cole adheres to no one's standards and doesn't much seem to care who hires him. When he's approached by Bradley Warren, a pompous executive, to investigate the theft of a priceless manuscript, he takes the job even though the two clash from the first word. Meeting Warren's exhibitionistic wife and troubled daughter dampens what little enthusiasm he has for the case, but when the daughter is kidnapped after Cole promised her he'd watch out for her, it becomes personal. When suspects start dying torturous, violent deaths, Cole enlists the aid of partner Joe Pike and the two leave no stone unturned in bringing the case to a climactic end. Robert Crais presents us with a lovable hero with a smart mouth and eyes that don't miss much. But don't be deceived - this is no cozy. Violence is real, but not unjustified. Ethical lines are understandably blurred and happily ever after isn't part of the deal. Still, it's a highly enjoyable read and we can all look forward to Elvis' latest adventure - LA Requiem, due out in June.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best author of detective novels, January 19, 2000

By	danny "danny" (Québec, Canada) - See all my reviews

Robert Crais is one of the rare authors of private detective novels to succeed in making me laugh as well as making me biting my nails. The plot is intense. Pike is at the same time hard and tender, and Cole is as much funny as eager to solve the mystery. Always a good reading. You are lucky, you who have not still read any the novels of Crais!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Way of the Warrior is Death, November 2, 2002

By	Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

Elvis Cole is a wisecracking private investigator who likes Falstaff beer, Mickey Mouse, and can tell you exactly which designer made the clothes and accessories the villains wear. A Viet Nam vet who came back determined to preserve what was left of his childhood, a man with a strong hero complex, and, when need be, a stone killer. Now he is working a case for financier Bradley Warren, trying to find a stolen copy of the Hagakure, the ancient Japanese code of behavior for the Samurai.

Elvis' clue gathering style is to keep stirring the pot of likely sources and suspects until something floats to the top. This time what comes up is trouble. Warren's family receives several threats, which he chooses to ignore. Suddenly the worst happens and Mimi Warren is kidnapped, leaving no trace. Incensed, Warren fires Cole and the detective decides to continue the case on his own. He promised Mimi he would protect her, and he's not about to let the Yakuza of two countries get in his way.

Robert Crais' tactic is to lure the reader in with Elvis Cole's humorous attitude and hard-boiled attitude, and then follow through with a series of severe hammer blows. Even when you know that there is a nightmare waiting to happen, its onset is a shock. Perhaps this is formula writing, but few authors can shift gears as smoothly as Crais can. One moment you are listening in on some sarcastic dialog between Cole and his partner Joe Pike, the next minute they are dealing out badness - and you are liking it.

In addition, Crais' characters are never one sided. If anything, they defy the common stereotypes. Cole and Pike don't simply hunt villains and right wrongs; they hold intelligent conversations and understand the issues they must deal with. Good plot, great characters and a fine eye for detail makes 'Stalking the Angel' a memorable story. One that will drive you back to the bookshelves looking for more.