Always a great story from Robert Crais - never a disappointment.... his pairing of Cole and Pike show that two people can work together to solve whatever may happen without considering possible downsides that may pop up in their own life.
Thanks for a great continuing series to Robert and NetGalley for the chance to read them.
Read and ENJOY!

I generally love Elvis Cole, but something was wanting in THE WANTED. Elvis Cole is hired by a mother of a son who suddenly seems to have a lot of cash and new clothes and a rolex. Turns out the kid is part of a gang of 3 who rob from and give to themselves. As one might expect, they've robbed the wrong guy, and two very nasty fake policeman are searching for the teens and a particular piece of merchandise--the mcguffin. This is not really up to Crais' previous standards. I don't much like reading about teens in an adult mystery; the mcguffin was a bore, and there was not enough of Joe Pike.

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike return in one of the best of the series. Elvis is hired to find a missing kid and this is always when Elvis is at his best, looking out for the underdog. My customers will love this.

The Wanted by Robert Crais is the first book that I'v read featuring Elvis Cole and his partner Joe Pike. I enjoyed this book and definitely want to read more of the books in this series. Elvis Cole seems to be a detective who cares about his clients. His partner Joe Pike played a smaller part in this novel but he seemed like a strong caring friend who would do anything to help.I found this refreshing. The plot was interesting too.

Good entry in above-average series. Elvis Cole and Joe Pike always welcome.

The latest in the Elvis Cole and Joe Pike series. Elvis is hired to find out how a high school kid suddenly got thousands of dollars worth of cash and fancy things no high school kid could afford. The case gets complicated fast, and he has a hard time separating the good guys from the bad.

I really enjoyed this book, and recommend it. Thanks to G.P. Putnam's and Sons and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Wanted. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Devon Connor enlists the services of Investigator Elvis Cole because her teenage son Tyson seems to be involved in something shady. When Elvis uncovers the truth, he is stunned as to the extent of Tyson's criminality. After it becomes increasingly apparent that the danger level in the case has skyrocketed, Elvis has no choice but to ask his partner Joe Pike for help. With time running out, will Elvis and Joe be able to crack open the case?

The Wanted is a good, solid read with well developed characters. There is not too much growth in either Joe or Elvis, although I would not expect too much considering the fact that they are already well established. I am usually a fan of author Robert Crais, especially since his plots are usually convoluted and well conceived. The Wanted was a good book, but not as exciting or intricate as some of the author's previous works. Readers who are new to the characters should not be scared off, as prior knowledge of Elvis and Joe is not strictly required. I would recommend The Wanted and I look forward to reading more by Robert Crais in the future.

or some reason, I have not read a whole lot of Robert Crais' books, which is actually a little odd as I have really liked most the ones that I did read. The same goes for this one with Elvis Cole as the main protagonist and Joe Pike only playing a minor supporting role.
Crais sets a great pace for the story and switches perspective throughout the book which gives the reader a broader picture and adds to the dynamics of the plot. Elvis Cole comes off as a really nice guy (while Joe Pike doesn't) and Robert Crais allows him to make mistakes which makes the story much more believable and interesting - but also incredibly exciting.
I really liked this book and had a hard time putting it down - especially in the last quarter - so fans of Crais will have a field day with this one, and other fans of mysteries in the contemporary Private Eye genre will also enjoy it a lot. I seriously need to get started on the rest of the series...!

THE WANTED
Robert Crais
Putnam Books
ISBN 978-0-399-16150-6
Hardcover
Thriller

How unlikely yet how true it is that Robert Crais keeps getting better and better and better? After twenty or so novels, Crais could pretty much phone in the elements which make his Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novels so terrific in toto. You take the southern California vibe, throw in a car chase, some fisticuffs, a couple of gunshots and some other rough stuff, mix it up with the somewhat opposite yet balancing protagonists and a quirky supporting casts of outlaws and innocents, and you make everyone happy. Yes, it’s easier said than done, but it is undeniable that Crais makes it look easy, and perhaps never more so than in THE WANTED, which, at the end of the day, is once of his best books to date.

THE WANTED has a couple of moving parts but it certainly isn’t complicated. And oh, what a joy that is for older readers who like a straightforward story that brings one into it from the first page. Cole, the quietly laconic private investigator, is hired by Devon Connor to find Tyson, her missing teenage son. Tyson isn’t exactly missing, in that he occasionally but not faithfully answers her texts, but she hasn’t had him in line of sight for a while. Connor, in an effort to find out whats up, tosses Connor’s room and finds all sorts of things that lead her to believe that Tyson is in serious trouble. After Cole is hired to find Tyson and bring him home, he does his own combing of Tyson’s room, which ultimately leads him to discover that Tyson and a couple of his friends are staging high-end burglaries. Meanwhile, a couple of really bad and dangerous guys are looking for Tyson and his friends as well. Cole and the the pair are following parallel trails, each vaguely aware of the other but not quite sure of who is who. Cole, for is part, thinks that the two may be cops, but they are anything but. He brings in the taciturn, capable, and very lethal Joe Pike for assistance and backup, and yes, indeed, he needs him. The gruesome twosome, it develops, are looking to retrieve something which the teenage burglary ring has stolen, and a part of the THE WANTED is devoted to watching Cole figure out what they are after, and why, and for whom. The major part of the book, however, follows Cole, Tyson, and the baddies by turns as they play Tom, Jerry, and Spike. Crais’s pacing and characterization is simply marvelous. He takes a somewhat familiar storyline and with a twist here and a turn there creates a book that has you guessing what is going to happen next and more often than not leaves you flat footed and chuckling, right down to potentially leading the reader, right at the end, into the next book in the series.

You really don’t have to know a thing about Crais, Cole, or Pike to pick up THE WANTED and enjoy it unreservedly from first sentence to last paragraph. Cole is a sympathetic character without being a sad sack and Pike...well, let’s just say that everyone needs a Pike on their six. Those familiar with the series will know what I’m talking about, while those who pick up THE WANTED for the first time will...well, I envy you the joy of first discovery. You’ll want to go back and catch up, and you should. Strongly recommended.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
© Copyright 2017, The Book Report, Inc. All rights reserved.

I am a huge fan of Elvis Cole, but The Wanted fell flat for me. I generally love reading about both Elvis and Joe Pike, but I could barely stomach reading about the two ridiculous bad guys – they were way too over the top for me. I also didn’t feel that Tyson Connor was very believable which made the mystery not very believable as well. I realize that mystery series with numerous books such as this one are bound to have an installment or two that are not my favorite so I am hoping the next one will get back on track. Joe Pike is fabulous, and he kept the book from being a 2-star read for me. I received this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

What a treat it is to have Elvis Cole and Joe Pike back! When teenager Tyson Connor’s mother Devon calls Elvis, she is afraid her son is selling drugs because he’s suddenly flush with cash and wearing expensive clothes. Initially, Elvis suspects the same thing, but a little more investigation reveals that Tyson is involved in high-end burglaries with two other teenagers. And they’ve stolen a laptop that the owner is desperate to get back - at any cost. Elvis is still his wisecracking self but is totally committed to finding and rescuing Tyson. When Devon is threatened by two murderous and very scary men, Elvis calls in Joe Pike. Can there be any more reassuring words to a terrified mother than “I’m Pike. I’ve got you. You’re safe.” Robert Crais is an author I can rely on to provide absorbing, tightly written, and enjoyable thrillers - books I always feel good about recommending.

My review was posted on Goodreads on 12/21/17

A woman hires a private investigator to find out where her teenage son was getting his money. He's buying things way out of their price range and she's worried about what he's doing. Her instincts are right. He's mixed in bad business...

G. P. Putnam's Sons and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published December 26th.

Elvis Cole starts looking for trouble and he finds it. The cops are looking for three thieves who rob vacant houses. When he looks at the photo he sees the boy looking up at the camera. That's where the money is coming from. When his mother tries to talk him into surrendering, he runs. He's infatuated with the girl in the trio and goes along with what she says. It's not a good choice.

They've stolen something that is very valuable to a rich man. He's hired assassins to get it back. They begin by doing some heavy questioning and then leaving dead bodies behind. They're on the trios trail and they intend to get the laptop computer back and take of the thieves all in one swoop. Unfortunately for them, they can't locate the kids. Elvis isn't having much luck either. When one of the boys is found dead, Elvis knows he doesn't have much more time.

He brings in his partner, Pike, and he begins gathering everyone into a safe house. But he's set himself up as bait and the assassins are all to willing to come after him.

It has a shoot 'em up ending and things finally get settled. It's suspenseful, full of tension and keeps you reading one page after another. Don't start it if you have somewhere to go...

The Wanted (Elvis Cole, #17; Joe Pike, #6)
by Robert Crais
222325
K Honsharuk's review Dec 20, 2017 · edit
really liked it

"It was one of those streets that came from nothing and went nowhere. Empty." I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed Crais' Elvis Cole stories. Fast paced and funny with a big old slice of LA, The Wanted has all the elements of a good detective tale, with hardened wiseguys criminals who play classics on stringed instruments in run down bars, clueless teenagers on a reckless robbery spree, THE Carl, and JOE PIKE. This read, for me, was like visiting with old friends, and I enjoyed the visit and the tale, immensely.

P.S. Thanks to NetGalley for the DRC.

Another entertaining read with Elvis and Joe. I particularly enjoyed the problem of figuring out who the bad guys were working for and what they were trying to find. As usual, the bodies piled up while the good guys tried to track the conspiracy to its source. It's also nice to see a character who is truly incapable of behaving in a logical, rational manner. (No spoiler there!)

Always enjoy Robert Cruise..
This book is very different and very enjoyable..Read it in 3days!!!
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I can't believe I've never read a book from this series before! This certainly won't be my last - - I loved it! Elvis Cole is the perfect snarky detective with his scary-good sidekick, Joe Pike. The writing is excellently paced with action, an interesting story, and great characters. Gotta give this one five stars!

Devon Connor is a single mom who is worried about her teenage son. Tyson has never been a good student but he has always been a good kid. However, his latest transfer to an alternative high school has resulted in new friends, Alec and Amber, who appear to be leading Tyson astray. Tyson suddenly has new expensive clothes and electronics plus rolls of cash. Devon is concerned Tyson is dealing drugs but doesn’t want to call the police until she’s positive Tyson is breaking the law. So, she hires Elvis Cole to investigate. Elvis quickly learns that Tyson is involved with the two other wayward souls, robbing rich people’s homes. Foolishly, they keep the merchandise they want and fence the rest. Elvis gets a list of the victims and their reported stolen merchandise from his cop friends who also tell him they have a video of the perps and expect to soon make an arrest.
Devon hires a lawyer and strikes a deal with the ADA for Tyson if he confesses and turns himself in. After much coercion Tyson agrees but then disappears before his intended surrender. Turns out he is infatuated with Amber and wants to warn her of her impending arrest.
Meanwhile, Elvis learns that the police aren’t the only ones looking for the teenage burglars. Harvey and Stemms are two ruthless hitmen who have been hired by one of the victims to retrieve a stolen laptop computer apparently containing incriminating information about the owner. Harvey and Stemms know no bounds when it comes to getting what they want. They also have the video of the crooks and discover their identity before the cops. They kill one witness and arrange a fatal accident for Alec before he can warn his partners. Elvis enlists the help of Joe Pike. Now they are in a race to find Tyson and Amber before either the hitmen or the police make their move.
Crais comes through with another hit in his Elvis Cole/ Joe Pike series. The contrasting personalities of the two detectives hold your interest to the end. Elvis with his smart-ass remarks alienates some but endears others. Pike’s stoic, ‘just the facts mam’ style comes off as just cool. Together they keep you in anticipation of their direct and decisive response to unwarranted violence.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance look.

4 stars. What can I say? I love Elvis Cole and Joe Pike [wish there were more of the latter in this book]. And I was on the beach--a perfect time for this type of read.

The setting: "When single mother Devon Connor hires private investigator Elvis Cole, it's because her troubled teenage son Tyson is flashing cash and she's afraid he's dealing drugs. But the truth is devastatingly different. With two other partners in crime, he's been responsible for a string of high-end burglaries, a crime spree that takes a deadly turn when one of them is murdered and Tyson and his girlfriend disappear." And so it begins.

Grabbed from the start, this fast-paced novel kept me going.

I loved the cast of characters. I loved rhythym and pacing. I was sucked in by the plot.

And some of the language got me too!
"bathroom counter was forested wtih deordorant, mouthwash..."
a teenage girl: "... lit a cigarette, and inhaled hard enough to inflate her body..."
"Their faces were ruddy, grim, and flat as piss on a plate."

What can I say? This book was immensely readable and entertaining. I wanted more. And Harvey and Stemms were certainly devious but skillful asshats in pursuit.

Highly recommend. Cant wait for the next Crais!

This is another addition to the wonderful Elvis Cole series. It is fast-paced and sometimes heart-pounding, with a very human element. I saw a side to his relationship with Joe Pike that made me love them even more.

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are back in THE WANTED, another excellent story in this iconic series. This time Cole is hired by single-mother Devon Conner to uncover how her son Tyson came into so much money not to mention a priceless watch. Was he dealing drugs? Or maybe involved in the series of B&E robberies that have plagued high-dollar residents in Los Angeles. As Cole peels back the layers of the mystery, he butts heads with the LAPD, who don’t appreciate him digging around in their cases, and a pair of hired killers, who are protecting something, or someone. Who’s behind the robberies, and the killings? Nothing is ever as it seems in La-La-Land. Great characters, clever plotting, and well-written. This series just keeps getting better.

DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly, Samantha Cody, and Dub Walker thriller series