The Monkey's Raincoat (Elvis Cole Series #1)

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Overview

When Ellen Lang's husband disappears with their son, she hires Elvis Cole to track him down. A quiet and seemingly submissive wife, Ellen can't even write a check without him. All she wants is to get him and her son back - no questions asked.

The search for Ellen's errant husband leads Elvis into the seamier side of Hollywood. He soon learns that Mort Lang is a down-on-his-luck talent agent who associates with a schlocky movie producer, and the last place he was spotted was at a party thrown by a famous and very well-connected ex-Matador. But no one has seen him since - including his B-movie girlfriend.

At the same time the police find Mort in his parked car with four gunshots in his chest - and no kid in sight - Ellen disappears. Now nothing is what it seems, and the heat is on. It's up to Elvis Cole and his partner Joe Pike to find the connection between sleazy Hollywood players and an ex-Matador.

"Far and away the most satisfying private eye novel in years. Grab this one - it's a winner!" - Lawrence Block

"Is Bob Crais good? Put it this way: if they're taking you out to put you against the firing squad wall, and you want to enjoy your last moments on earth, pass on the last cigarette and ask for an Elvis Cole novel." - Harlan Ellison

"Robert B. Parker has some competition on his hands....Elvis Cole is an appealing character and Crais' style is fresh and funny." - Sue Grafton

Taking the mystery community by storm, this Elvis Cole novel was nominated for the Edgar, Anthony, Shamus, and Macavity awards and won both the Anthony and Macavity for Best Novel of the Year. Crais, a VP at Paramount, was previously head script writer for Quincy, Hill Street Blues, and Cagney and Lacey.

What People Are Saying

Harlan Ellison
"Is Bob Crais good? Put it this way: if they're taking you out to put you against the firing squad wall, and you want to enjoy your last moments on earth, pass on the last cigarette and ask for an Elvis Cole novel."
Lawrence Block
"Far and away the most satisfying private eye novel in years. Grab this one - it's a winner!"
Sue Grafton
"Robert B. Parker has some competition on his hands....Elvis Cole is an appealing character and Crai's style is fresh and funny."

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780553275858
  • Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
  • Publication date: 3/28/1992
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Edition description: Reissue
  • Edition number: 1
  • Pages: 224
  • Sales rank: 40,928
  • Series: Elvis Cole Series , #1
  • Product dimensions: 4.18 (w) x 6.85 (h) x 0.60 (d)

Meet the Author

Robert Crais
Robert Crais

Robert Crais is the 2006 recipient of the Ross Macdonald Literary Award. He is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including The Two Minute Rule, The Forgotten Man, and L.A. Requiem.

Biography

Los Angeles is known as the city of dreams, largely because so many Americans dream of breaking into the Hollywood film and television industry. In 1976, Robert Crais went west from Louisiana to pursue that very dream. As it turned out, he became one of the lucky few to break into the industry in a big way. Crais has since written for such hugely popular TV shows as Quincy, Cagney and Lacey, Miami Vice, Hill Street Blues, and L.A. Law, just to name a few. However, after achieving such success (which included a prestigious Emmy nomination) in a business that so many would give everything to break into, Robert Crais decided to step away and pursue his true dream. Frustrated by the collaborative process that comes with screenwriting, and inspired by pulp-pioneers such as Raymond Chandler, Crais became a mystery novelist. With his massively popular Elvis Cole/Joe Pike mysteries series, it seems as though success has a funny way of following Crais no matter what he decides to do.

Crais published his very first novel in 1987. The Monkey's Raincoat introduced mystery fans to Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, a pair of L.A. private investigators who would become his most-beloved recurring characters. Crais's transition from screenwriting to novel-writing was an astoundingly smooth one. The Monkey's Raincoat earned him nominations for the Edgar, Anthony, Shamus, and Macavity awards, winning both the Anthony and Macavity for "Best Novel of the Year." Crais's publisher was so overjoyed by the novel's success that he encouraged Crais to keep the Cole/Pike team going. "I started writing these books to get away from writing other people's concepts, like TV and movies," Crais told Barnes&Noble.com. "I never expected to write these guys as a series...but the book proved to be so popular and the characters were so popular that my publisher wanted more." What followed was a series of bestselling mysteries, including Stalking the Angel (1989), Free Fall (1993), L.A. Requiem (1999), and last year's The Forgotten Man.

Although the series was not part of Crais's original plan, he still seems to hold the Cole and Pike team closer to his heart than anything he has previously written. He explained, "The characters have deepened, and I think they kind of reflect what's going on with me and the world as I see it." When asked about whether or not we can expect to see the crime-solving buddies on the big screen anytime soon, he said, "I think I would have a difficult time in the collaborative process when other people suddenly put their fingerprints on Elvis and Joe," further illustrating his personal feelings for his P.I. team.

As much as Crais loves his series, he does occasionally write novels outside of the Cole/Pike world. His latest, The Two-Minute Rule, tells the story of career criminal Max Holman, a recently released-from-prison bank robber who finds himself hunting an entirely different kind of criminal after his son is gunned down. The book has since raked in positive reviews from such publications as Booklist, Publisher's Weekly, and The Library Journal. While The Two-Minute Rule does not feature Cole and Pike, Crais fans will notice one significant similarity between his latest novel and his famous series -- the Los Angeles setting. "I can't think of a better place to set crime novels because of what Los Angeles is. Los Angeles is the main where the nation goes to make its dreams come true. When you have a place like that where so many people are risking their very identities, not just money and cash, but they're risking who they are because it's their hopes and dreams, when you have that kind of tension and that kind of friction, you can't help but have crime."

Fortunately, Crais will never have to succumb to such friction and tension since, for a success story such as he, Los Angeles completely lived up to its promise of being the city of dreams.

Good To Know

Some fun and fascinating outtakes from our interview with Crais:

"My first job was cleaning dog kennels. It was especially, ah, aromatic during those hot, humid Louisiana summers, but it prepared me for Hollywood."

"My fiction is almost always inspired by a character's need or desire to rise above him-or herself. No one is perfect and some of us have much adversity in our lives; it is those people who struggle to rise above their nature or background that I find the most interesting and heroic."

"Fun details? Like Elvis Cole, I have a dry sense of humor. Sometimes I am so dry that people don't know I'm kidding and think I'm being serious. I enjoy this because their reactions are often funny. Also, I wear beautifully colored shirts like Elvis Cole, only I was wearing them before him. People will say, ‘Look, RC dresses just like Elvis Cole,' and I'll say, 'No, Elvis Cole dresses like me!' I also wear sunglasses like Joe Pike, but not indoors and not at night."

"Elvis Cole wrote two episodes of television. No lie. It happened like this: I had written episodes of Miami Vice and Jag that were rewritten by person or persons unknown -- changed so badly that I didn't want my name on them, so I used Elvis Cole's name as a pen name."

    1. Hometown:
      Los Angeles, California
    1. Date of Birth:
      June 20, 1953
    2. Place of Birth:
      Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    1. Education:
      B.S., Louisiana State University, 1976; Clarion Writers Workshop at Michigan State University
    2. Website:
      http://www.robertcrais.com

Table of Contents

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 60 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(24)

4 Star

(20)

3 Star

(10)

2 Star

(1)

1 Star

(5)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 61 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 20, 2007

    A Great Read

    Okay, I'm a bit late coming to this book published in 1987, but Jack Getze said Crais be one good writer, so I cracked it open. Besides, the cover's red tag read, 'Named one of the century's 100 favorite mysteries by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.' That fancy tag and Getze were right, this was a great read. Elvis Cole, a literate, wisecracking Vietnam war vet is an L.A. detective who must find the wayward husband of a mousy wife and pushy female friend. The case mushrooms into something bigger, and Elvis brings in his deadly and mostly silent partner, Joe Pike, as the body count climbs. The story gathers momentum with its tight prose and well-drawn characters until the conclusion when people must decide what they are willing to fight for and die for. Hands down five stars.

    8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted August 29, 2009

    Robert Crais' Elvis Cole series is the best ever! I just wish he had more books available. I've read them all.

    Try to read them order. I didn't and still enjoyed them but Crais does refer back to previous events.

    3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 5, 2011

    Recommend

    Robert Crais is a very good story teller. I enjoyed the book and will read the series.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 20, 2010

    Good reading

    Not heavy, but good enough to keep your interest and want to finish.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 2, 2009

    Wrong person to read this book.

    Pike's voice sounded like everyone else. There was no mystery or humor that James Daniels or David Stuart put into it.

    When you're listening to CD books at work to get through the day, the voice makes the book good or bad. This was bad. Downright disapointing.

    1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 5, 2008

    Hardboiled with a sense of humor

    This was a refreshing novel. Elvis Cole is a hardboiled detective who doesn't take himself too seriously. Joe Pike is the rock-steady, steely eyed partner always ready to provide the heavy artillery. The book also has a touch of realism I enjoyed. It's refreshing to read an author who understands a little bit about what hand to hand combat is really about on the streets. All the characters in the book are rich and multi-dimensional. All in all, this was a great read. I look forward to reading another Elvis Cole novel.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 20, 2005

    Outstanding Mystery

    My first Elvis novel and not my last. Absolutely outstanding and, finally, a detective, who doesn't spend his spare time at an AA meeting. Elvis is not a detective stereotype and neither is his sidekick, Joe Pike. Exceptional and highly recommended to all.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 22, 2012

    Fun, easy read

    As a new reader to Robert Crais I am just now reading this as I like to read a series in order. I found this to be a fun read. As the first in a series I thought he did a good job with getting me acquainted with the characters. I did find the detail when driving very boring. Being from Texas I could care less about every street, hwy, and turn in L.A. I just want to find out what happens when they arrive to their destination. I thought Elvis was a little overboard in the beginning with his humor and unprofessional in his sexual comments when he first met with client, but i thought the book was overall a good read and will definely buy the next book in the series.

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  • Posted May 9, 2012

    Highly recommend

    The Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series is a sure winner - action, mystery, and a good dose of humor. A great buddy series with a twist.

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  • Posted April 14, 2012

    good,solid reads. always keeps your interest. he is not one of

    good,solid reads. always keeps your interest. he is not one of those authors that i have to watch grow up to have his writing mature. hope that means - unlike stephen king or dean koontz, i will not have to watch him either jump on a soapbox or give us some drug-induced crap.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 17, 2012

    You really must check this author out

    It was the first of Robert Crais that I had read. Since I have purchased and read 2 more of his books. The plots keep you on your toes! I found myself having to go to the next page just to see what happens next. Highly recommended author.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 14, 2012

    Found a new author to me.

    Loved this book. Will buy more of them. He has humor and mystery in his writing. You wonder how he is going to get out of the messes he gets into, which keeps you from putting it down.

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  • Posted December 24, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Pretty Lame and Tame

    I have no idea how this book made it on the list of the century's 100 favorite mysteries. It was funny in places, but the entire story was pretty weak.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 10, 2011

    Highly Recommended

    First book read by Crais. Grabs you interest from first page. Planning on reading more novels in the Elvis Cole Series.

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  • Posted November 1, 2011

    great book Love this author

    Cannot not wait to read more of the Elvis Cole Series

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 1, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 31, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 30, 2012

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 31, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 25, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

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