Editorial Content for The Big Empty: An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
The pleasure of reading a new Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novel from Robert Crais is the equivalent of a child approaching numerous presents under the tree on Christmas morning. THE BIG EMPTY does not disappoint, and there are so many thrills to unwrap within its pages.
Private investigator Elvis Cole takes on a new case involving Traci Beller, an online influencer with a massive following whose fans love to watch her bake. She is seeking information on her father, who has been missing for 10 years. Tommy Beller was having a typical day of calls to various customers who needed his heating and air conditioning service expertise. He worked with Traci’s Uncle Phil, and at the time of his disappearance, the police could not find any evidence of foul play.
"Crais delivers surprise after surprise before finally revealing the truth, making for quite a ride. THE BIG EMPTY is a complex tale filled with secrets and family connections that will haunt readers long after they have turned the last page."
In order for Elvis to retrace the efforts in the original case, he must get a hold of the paperwork from the authorities. He also needs to meet with the customers Tommy saw that day, along with interviewing his widow, Georgina, and her partner, Phil. Georgina is bitter, angry and not very forthcoming. She feels that Traci is wasting her money hiring someone like Elvis to take on this wild goose chase. Neither Georgina nor Phil believe that Tommy was involved in anything shady, and they remain in the dark about why he vanished without a trace.
Anyone who reads crime fiction understands that nothing is as it appears to be on the surface. That is very much at play in THE BIG EMPTY. Even though Elvis feels like he is spinning his wheels and taking money from a client who never should have hired him, some of the pieces start to fit together like a puzzle. This makes Elvis realize that there may have been more to Tommy and his reason for stepping away. His questions ruffle some feathers, and he is hospitalized after a run-in with a group of unnamed men.
The revelations come fast and furious, and Elvis is left with a case that started out as a dud and now might be one that opens up a series of cold cases that could involve a serial killer the police never caught. He also must do a balancing act with Traci, who thought the world of her father.
Crais delivers surprise after surprise before finally revealing the truth, making for quite a ride. THE BIG EMPTY is a complex tale filled with secrets and family connections that will haunt readers long after they have turned the last page.
Teaser
Traci Beller was 13 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. The police couldn't find her dad and neither could the detectives her mother hired. But now, 10 years later, Traci is a super-popular influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire a new detective: Elvis Cole. Elvis heads to Rancha where he learns that an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya, might have a line on the missing man. But when Elvis finds himself shadowed by a deadly gang of vicious criminals, the simple missing persons case becomes far more sinister and dangerous. Elvis calls in his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, to help, but even Pike might not be able to help.
Promo
Traci Beller was 13 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. The police couldn't find her dad and neither could the detectives her mother hired. But now, 10 years later, Traci is a super-popular influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire a new detective: Elvis Cole. Elvis heads to Rancha where he learns that an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya, might have a line on the missing man. But when Elvis finds himself shadowed by a deadly gang of vicious criminals, the simple missing persons case becomes far more sinister and dangerous. Elvis calls in his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, to help, but even Pike might not be able to help.
About the Book
Private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike, face a cryptic case and a terrifying, unpredictable killer in this twisty, satisfying thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais.
Traci Beller was 13 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. The police couldn't find her dad and neither could the detectives her mother hired. But now, 10 years later, Traci is a super-popular influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire a new detective: Elvis Cole.
Taking on a 10-years-cold missing person case is almost always a loser, but Elvis heads to Rancha where he learns that an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya, might have a line on the missing man. But when Elvis finds himself shadowed by a deadly gang of vicious criminals, the simple missing persons case becomes far more sinister and dangerous. Elvis calls in his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, to help, but even Pike might not be able to help.
As Elvis Cole and Joe Pike follow Tommy Beller's trail into the twisted, nightmare depths of a monstrous evil, the case flips on its head. Victims become predators, predators become pray, and when everyone is a victim, can Elvis Cole save them all?
In a case that tests Elvis Cole's loyalty to his clients and himself, the truth must come out no matter the cost. Elvis must face The Big Empty and see justice done.
Audiobook available, read by Luke Daniels
