Stalking the Angel (Mass Market Paperback)

Ok, I admit, I'm not much of a hardboiled fan. But something about this series intrigues me. Probably the fact that the main character is more passionate about Disney then I am. And I really do love Elvis. His sarcasm and quips had me laughing throughout the entire book. However, it's not all fun and games. The further you go, the darker it gets. That's probably my big complaint; it just got too dark for my personal tastes. On the whole, it's a great storyline that keeps you reading until the final page with a couple nice twists. And all the characters are interesting and very real.

I certainly recommend this book to fans of hardboiled PI's. It's very well written and engaging. Frankly, even though I'm not a fan of this sub-genre, I'm thinking I may need to continue with these characters myself. They're that intriguing.

Elvis Cole is the star attraction, the co-owner of The Elvis Cole Detective Agency. He's 35ish, ex-Army, served in Vietnam, ex-security guard, has two years of college, learned to be a detective by working under George Feider, a licensed P.I. for over 40 years, does martial arts as enthusiastically as most people do lunch, and is fearless but not foolish. He's out to right the wrongs of the world as much as he is to earn a living. Elvis has a thing for Disney characters (including a Pinocchio clock), kids, cats, scared clients and rapid fire repartee. He drives a Jamaica yellow 1966 Corvette Stingray convertible, and usually carries a .38 Special Dan Wesson.

His main foil is partner, Joe Pike, an ex-Marine, ex-cop who moves quietly and mysteriously wearing shades even in the dark . . . when he's not scaring the bad guys with the red arrows tattooed on his deltoids, which are usually bare in sleeveless shirts. Although he's got an office with Elvis, Pike spends all of his time at his gun shop when not routing the bad guys with martial arts while carrying and often using enough firepower to stop a tank. Pike rarely speaks . . . and never smiles. A standing gag is trying to catch Pike with a little twitch of his lips indicating he might possibly be amused. But he's there when you need him. He drives a red Jeep.

Robert Parker's Spenser is the obvious character parallel for Elvis, but Spenser and Elvis are different in some ways. Cole is more solitary, usually being alone when he's not working. Cole is very much L.A. and Spenser is ultra blue collar Boston. Cole is martial arts while Spenser boxes and jogs. What they have in common is that they're both out to do the right thing, with money being unimportant. They both love to crack wise as they take on the bad guys. The bad guys hate the "humor" in both cases, and can't do much about it. The dialogue written for each is intensely rich.

Mr. Crais has a special talent for making you care about his characters, especially the clients and their kids. You'll want to know what happens to them. With a lot of experience in script writing, Mr. Crais also knows how to set the scene physically and make you feel it. He may be out finest fiction writer about physical movement. He gives you all the clues to picture what's going on . . . but draws back from giving so much detail that you can?t use your own imagination to make things better.

I grew up near Los Angeles, and get a special pleasure out of reading his descriptions of the differences in cities, neighborhoods, and buildings in the area. He gets in right . . . and in detail. It's a nice touch!

On to Stalking the Angel, the second book in the series:

"I love to hear the story
which angel voices tell."
--The Little Corporal
Emily Miller

"When the truth is found to be lies,
and all the joy within you dies,
don't you want somebody to love?"
--Jefferson Airplane

When Jillian Becker walks into his office, Elvis Cole thinks she's "the best looking woman I'd seen in three weeks" despite being dressed as a "Serious Businesswoman." She introduces her boss, Bradley Warren, and within three pages Elvis is being asked to find the Hagakure, an 18th century manuscript outlining all proper forms of samurai behavior.

The trail of the Hagakure brings Elvis and Joe into some of the most unappetizing situations I remember reading about in hard-boiled fiction.

The story develops in small segments from quite different perspectives, usually in chapters of 4-5 pages in length, like a scene in a drama. Each change adds to a mosaic portrait of the characters and the overall situation. So the story moves fast . . . but without leaving you behind. There is enough material in this book to make three or four novels.

Pay particular attention to the evolution of your perceptions of Jillian and Mimi. Mr. Crais does a nice job of helping you realize all sides of their characters. That's one quality that takes this book above the best of the Spenser books.

After you finish the book, you might find it interesting to think about the dangers that can come from reaching for more than we can handle.

What can you do to resist harmful temptation?