by Robert Crais
Part of Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, book 3
First published 2006
Private investigator Elvis Cole gets what looks like easy money when Hollywood director Peter Alan Nelsen hires him to find his abandoned wife and baby. Nelsen built his reputation as the King of Adventure, making blockbuster films that earn billions while his abrasive personality creates enemies throughout the industry. Years ago, he walked away from his family to chase his filmmaking dreams, and now he wants them back. Cole expects a routine missing persons case until he tracks down the woman to a quiet Connecticut town. She's rebuilt her life far from Hollywood, but she's also connected to dangerous mob figures who don't appreciate outside interference. What started as a simple search suddenly puts Cole in the crosshairs of organized crime. He finds himself operating on unfamiliar East Coast territory where his usual contacts can't help him and the stakes keep climbing. The case forces Cole to navigate between a demanding client who always gets what he wants and criminals who solve problems with violence.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, high-stakes
Setting: Connecticut, East Coast
Period: Contemporary
MP3 CD · Brilliance Audio
Content warnings: violence