Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
213 used & new from £0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Last Detective
 
 

See 1 customer image
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

The Last Detective (Paperback)

by Robert Crais (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
Price: £5.49 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £1.50 (21%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 5 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, July 14? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
45 new from £0.01 166 used from £0.01 2 collectible from £0.01
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover (Limited) Order it used
Paperback 4 used & new from £38.74
Mass Market Paperback (Reprint) 25 used & new from £0.01
Hardcover (Large Print) 8 used & new from £1.96
Audio CD (Audiobook) £53.99 £53.99 2 used & new from £40.00
Show more editions and formats

Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with Indigo Slam (Elvis Cole Novels) by Robert Crais

The Last Detective + Indigo Slam (Elvis Cole Novels)
Price For Both: £11.08

Show availability and shipping details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Forgotten Man

The Forgotten Man

by Robert Crais
3.8 out of 5 stars (6)  £6.29
Indigo Slam (Elvis Cole Novels)

Indigo Slam (Elvis Cole Novels)

by Robert Crais
4.6 out of 5 stars (10)  £5.59
The Watchman

The Watchman

by Robert Crais
3.9 out of 5 stars (26)  £4.30
Chasing Darkness

Chasing Darkness

by Robert Crais
4.0 out of 5 stars (17)  £4.54
Lullaby Town (Elvis Cole Novels)

Lullaby Town (Elvis Cole Novels)

by Robert Crais
4.7 out of 5 stars (7)  £5.49
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Orion; New Ed edition (18 Sep 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0752849492
  • ISBN-13: 978-0752849492
  • Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11.2 x 2.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 27,161 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #13 in  Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Authors, A-Z > C > Crais, Robert

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
For The Last Detective Robert Crais fields something of a crime busting dream team; his regular duo, private detective Elvis Cole and enigmatic partner Joe Pike, hook up with Carol Starkey, the feisty, chain-smoking heroine of Demolition Angel in a tautly plotted kidnapping caper.

Crais has always spiced his elaborate LA procedurals with the gamier elements from action thrillers and this book, which pits his gumshoes against a gang of vicious mercenaries as well as the intractable red tape of policing law, is no exception. The drama kicks off when Ben Chenier, Cole's girlfriend Lucy's ten-year-old son, is abducted with military precision from outside Elvis' own home. Stunned by the kidnappers' audacity, Cole receives an even bigger shock when the gang phone. There is no ransom demand; instead the caller reminds him of a horrific incident from his past. As a Ranger in Vietnam, Cole's unit, number Five-Two, had come under heavy attack. Only he had survived the assault. Now more than 20 years later, the kidnappers accuse Cole of murdering his colleagues and maintain that Ben has been taken in retribution. Could the snatcher be a bitter relative with a grudge or perhaps, a disgruntled old army buddy out for vengeance?

Elvis and Pike, along with renegade LAPD cop Carole Starkey, start to hunt for Ben. Meticulously tracking leads and drawing on their military know how they start to build up a profile of their prey. While they make headway Cole is still left feeling "as if each piece of the picture was from a different puzzle and no matter how hard" he tries "to arrange them it made no sense". Their efforts are further hampered by Ben's father, Richard. Richard has always despised Cole and accompanied by Myers, his personal investigator, he begins stirring up trouble for Elvis with Lucy and with the authorities. But when Cole's researches start paying off, things in this page-turner become far, far murkier. --Travis Elborough --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
REVIEWS 'The tale is told with urgency'DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Robert Crais is one of the best-kept secrets of the crime genre, despite the raft of awards bestowed on him. His Elvis Cole detective novels have always been intelligent and satisfying reads, but it was with LA Requiem that Crais finally began to receive the public recognition he deserved. On the back of this success, Orion has forked out on a massive advertising campaign for his latest book, and with any luck it will bring him to the attention of a whole new audience. It should do too, because The Last Detective is up there with the author's best work....This is a nervy, compelling page-turner of a book with great action scenes'Mark Campbell CRIME TIME

See all Product Description

Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below
(1)
(1)
See all 3 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Last Detective
71% buy the item featured on this page:
The Last Detective 4.0 out of 5 stars (23)
£5.49
The Monkey's Raincoat (Elvis Cole Novels)
8% buy
The Monkey's Raincoat (Elvis Cole Novels) 4.1 out of 5 stars (14)
£5.49
The Forgotten Man
7% buy
The Forgotten Man 3.8 out of 5 stars (6)
£6.29
The Watchman
7% buy
The Watchman 3.9 out of 5 stars (26)
£4.30
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

23 Reviews
5 star:
 (12)
4 star:
 (5)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (23 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Well Worth The Wait, 23 Feb 2003
By rspeir (kilmarnock United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Last Detective (Hardcover)
For those of you you haven't read any of Robert Crais' work before, STOP NOW. Get a hold of his previous four books in the series, Voodhoo River, Sunset Express, Indigo Slam and L.A. Requiem. Read them in that order before settling down with The Last Detective...and enjoy!!
The Last Detective continues plot and character developments from the previous novels and not being aware of these points will certainly reduce the reader's enjoyment of Crais' newest Elvis Cole and Joe Pike thriller.

Commited fans of the series will be aware that this novel does for Elvis Cole what L.A. Requiem did for Joe Pike - namely provide us with more of Elvis' background: his childhood and army service in Vietnam.
We get to witness the events that really mould his psyche and make him into the character that he is.
The story kicks off 9 months after L.A.Requiem. The normally indestructable Joe Pike is still recouperating after severe injury at the end of the previous novel. A point that makes for facinating and often saddened reading when we see Joe doubting his ability to protect Elvis and himself at various points throughout the story.
Elvis' girlfriend Lucy is still finding life hard following L.A. Requiem's traumatic ending and this is putting visible strain on their relationship.
Matters are further complicated when Lucy's son Ben is kidnapped from Coles' home whilst under Elvis' care.
The kidnapper appears to be seeking revenge on Elvis following an incident involving Elvis' platoon in Vietnam.
What follows is Elvis' desperate struggle to rescue Ben, aided by a far from fit Joe Pike

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Detective Story, 6 Mar 2003
By J. E. Parry "Jeff Parry" (Pontypool, Wales) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
This review is from: The Last Detective (Hardcover)
I agree with the previous reviewer that this was a long anticipated book.

After the ending of L.A. Requiem there was a fear that Crais was retiring Elvis and Joe. However his fans are rewarded with another superbly crafted work.

The character development continues and you learn more about Cole and discover that Pike may no longer be the superman he seemed to be. Crais has also woven in his heroine, Starkey, from Demolition Angel to add to the pot.

For those fans of Michael Connelly we also get a homage to his Heironymous Bosch character. Thankfully this is far better done than the high tech thrillers where they just say "it was just like something from a Brown/Clancy/Bond book". Unless you know the character you'll miss the link.

The story zips along and you won't want to stop reading. The story alternates between the viewpoint of Cole, Pike and Ben. The plot is believeable and never relents. You hate the breakdown of his relationship with the boy's mother and hope that it will survive.

Like Connelly he breathes life into an L.A. that every knows, even if they've never been there. However just one word of warning. There are 7 previous Cole/Pike stories and not 4. I recommend that you read them all before starting this.

For those who read Crais for the first time you don't know what you've missed. You WILL want to read more.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The best Cole novel yet...., 28 Feb 2003
By S Bullen (Hampshire, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Last Detective (Hardcover)
As much as I love the Elvis Cole books, they've always felt a little 'pulpy' - crime, crime-solving, go home. Then came 'L.A. Requiem', turning the relationship between Cole and his partner Joe Pike into something more than just a buddy-buddy situation - a very real friendship. We also got a look in at the before- unknown past of Pike. Now arrives 'The Last Detective' and we finally get to see into Cole's life. How he grew to become the man he is. This really helps to turn Cole into the three-dimensional character he had always destined to be. This book is not only the best in the Cole series, but also the most mature. Cole still has his witty comback lines and Pike is still, well Pike, but they feel more human, adding to the dangerous situations they find themselves in by making them finally seem fallible. A masterpiece and a must read for any Elvis Cole fan.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Token Getting Rid of Love Interest Novel
Most long running Detective series follow a similar pattern; loner hero embarks on PI career, but finally finds one woman to be with by around book 5. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Sam

5.0 out of 5 stars A Firecracker of a Detective Story
Elvis Cole turns his back on his girlfriend's ten-year-old son Ben while watching him and the boy is snatched. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sara Hackett

5.0 out of 5 stars Complex plot set in non-stop action
The Last Detective
Non-stop action in this latest pairing of Elvis Cole and Pike as the Teflon coated private investigators with special services backgrounds and a welcome... Read more
Published 4 months ago by pointone

5.0 out of 5 stars What a find Robert Crais is!
Lee Child, step away from the keyboard. Wow - what a brilliant find Robert Crais is. Just as I was getting all antsy about a) there being so long to wait for the next Jack Reacher... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Lynne Barrett-lee

2.0 out of 5 stars Wouldn't Recommend This One...
I am a Robert Crais fan...but this book doesn't cut it for me. The story concerns the abduction of Cole's girlfriends son, Ben, and spans a relatively short time scale of around... Read more
Published 22 months ago by holly

5.0 out of 5 stars why all the critisism
no, not as good as LA Requiem but action-packed, fast paced and exciting. The only bad crais is the Forgotten man, not crais. A thrilling read.
Published on 10 Aug 2006 by Pejunch

5.0 out of 5 stars Great if you have read the prevous Elvis Cole Novels
First of all the facts. Its the 9th Elvis Cole Novel. That means it will mean more to you the reader if you have read some or all of the previous books. Read more
Published on 30 Jul 2006 by Scully Bloke

3.0 out of 5 stars Not one of Crais’ best, but still intense
The plot is too predictable; but the gunfight, at the end, is totally worth it! Elvis’ girlfriend’s son, Ben, gets kidnapped from the back of Elvis’ house. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2006 by Clarence T. Henry

5.0 out of 5 stars Another fantastic Elvis Cole novel
This book was very good. A lot darker then then the others, with possible exception to the excellent L.A. Requiem. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2005 by S. Weston

4.0 out of 5 stars Not sure I understand the criticism
Having come across Robert Crais quite late, I've had a fast track through all of the Elvis Cole novels, and yes, he does abandon some of the tried and trusted formula - but surely... Read more
Published on 20 Jul 2004 by John PaulCobb

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

L. A. Requiem (Elvis Cole Novels)

L. A...

Robert Crais (auhtor of Monkey's Raincoat) returns with his eighth... Read more
£6.99 £3.49

›Find similar items

 

More From Robert Crais

Chasing Darkness

Chasing Darkness by Robert Crais

It is fire season, and the hills of Los Angeles are burning. As the... Read more
£6.99 £4.54

 

Train Hard...Play Hard

Nike, Gola, Converse, and more
Gear up with up to 60% off athletic and outdoor shoes.

›Shop now

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
4.5 out of 5 stars (75)£3.86
 Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4.1 out of 5 stars (464)£6.49
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4.1 out of 5 stars (165)£3.99
 The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
4.2 out of 5 stars (81)£3.86

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates