Private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner Joe Pike face a cryptic case and a terrifyingly unpredictable killer in this twisty, edge-of-your-seat thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais.
Traci Beller was only thirteen when her father disappeared in the sleepy town of Rancha, not far from Los Angeles. The evidence says Tommy Beller abandoned his family, but Traci never believed it. Now a super-popular influencer with millions of followers, she finally has the money to hire a new detective to uncover the truth. And that detective is Elvis Cole.
Taking on a ten-years-cold missing person case is almost always a losing game, though Elvis quickly picks up a lead in Rancha when he learns that an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter Anya might have a line on the missing man. But when he finds himself shadowed by a deadly gang of vicious criminals, the case flips on its head. Victims become predators, predators become prey, and when everyone is a victim, will it be possible to save them all?
Calling on the help of his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, Elvis follows Tommy Beller's trail into the twisted, nightmarish depths of a monstrous evil, even as what he finds tests his loyalty to his clients, and to himself. But the truth must come out, no matter the cost.
Elvis must face The Big Empty and see justice done.
Industry Reviews
‘. . . makes your stomach rumble as well as your heart thump . . . Robert Crais has long since perfected the recipe for a super-satisfying thriller, and his 20th Cole and Pike novel has all these ingredients: great scene-setting, memorable characters and a puzzling mystery told with both humour and compassion. Bravo!’ The Times, Book of the Month
‘With an ever-accelerating trajectory leading to a blood-spattered climax, this 20th novel in the series is Crais in prime form.’ Financial Times
‘This is a slick, smart, old-style private eye tale by veteran thriller writer Crais, with a smart-mouthed hero, twisting plot and plenty of action. Superb stuff.’ The Sun, 4.5 stars
‘PI Elvis Cole and his ex-special forces partner Joe Pike are easily the best crime-solving duo since Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson . . . his [Crais] twisty, filmic plots puts him second only to Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series in modern LA thriller writing excellence.’ Daily Express, 10/10
‘Crais has helped keep the classic tradition of the hardboiled Los Angeles private detective alive with this fine series, and his new novel may well be his finest yet.’ Daily Mail (from Associated Press)
