Stalking the Angel : An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel

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. 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. Fiction,General,Mystery & Detective,Mystery fiction,Political,Cole; Elvis (Fictitious Character),Los Angeles (Calif.),Private Investigators,Hard-Boiled,Private Investigators - California - Los Angeles,Vietnam War; 1961-1975

hired By A Hotel Magnate To Locate A Priceless Japanese Manuscript, L.a. Private Eye Elvis Cole Encounters The Notorious Yakuza, The Japanese Mob, And Is Drawn Into A Game Of Sexual Obsession, Amorality, And Evil.

stalking The Angel Is A Righteous California Book: Intelligent, Perceptive, Hard, Clean. - James Elroy

elvis Cole Provides More Fun For The Reader Than Any L.a. Private Eye To Come Along In Years. - Joseph Wambaugh

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. (oct.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Meet Elvis Cole, L.A. private eye... he quotes Jiminy Cricket and carries a.38. He's a literate, wisecreacking Vietnam vet who is determined never to grow up. The blonde who walked into Cole's office was the bestlooking woman he'd seen in weeks. The only thing that kept her from rating a perfect “10” was the briefcase on one arm and the uptight hotel magnate on the other. Bradley Warren had lost something very valuable—something that belonged to someone else: a rare thirteenth-century Japanese manuscript called the Hagakure. Just about all Cole knew about Japanese culture he'd learned from reading Shogun, but he knew a lot about crooks—and what he didn't know his sociopathic sidekick, Joe Pike, did. Together their search begins in L.A.'s Little Tokyo and the nest of notorious Japanese mafia, the yakuza, and leads to a white-knuckled adventure filled with madness, murder, sexual obsession, and a stunning double-whammy ending. For Elvis Cole, it's just another day's work. Praise for Stalking the Angel “Stalking the Angel is a righteous California book: intelligent, perceptive, hard, clean.”—James Ellroy “Out on the West Coast, where private eyes thrive like avocado trees, Robert Crais has created an interesting and amusing hero in Elvis Cole.”—The Wall Street Journal “Devotees of the rock ‘em, sock ‘em school should find [Stalking the Angel] tasty.”—The San Diego Union Bradley Warren had lost something very valuable, something that belonged to someone else: a rare thirteenth-century Japanese manuscript called the Hagakure.Everything PI Elvis Cole knew about Japanese culture he'd learned from reading SHOGUN, but he knew a lot of crooks - and what he didn't know, his sidekick Joe Pike did.Together, Cole and Pike begin their search in L.A.'s Little Tokyo, the nest of the notorious Japanese mafia, the Yakuza - and find themselves caught up in a white-knuckled adventure filled with madness, murder and sexual obsession. Just another day's work for Elvis Cole... Bradley Warren had lost something very valuable, something that belonged to someone else: a rare thirteenth century Japanese manuscript called the Hagakure. Everything PI Elvis Cole knew about Japanese culture he'd learned from reading Shogun, but he knew a lot of crooks and what he didn't know, his sociopathic sidekick Joe Pike did. Together their search begins in LA's Little Tokyo and the nest of the notorious Japanese mafia, the Yakuza, and leads to a white knuckled adventure filled with madness, murder and sexual obsession just another day's work for Elvis Cole Hired by a hotel magnate to locate a priceless Japanese manuscript, L.A. private eye Elvis Cole encounters the notorious yakuza, the Japanese mafia, and is drawn into a game of sexual obsession, amorality, and evil Private investigator Elvis Cole finds himself trying to save a kidnapped teenaged girl after being hired to find a priceless Japanese manuscript on samurai behavior