The Big Empty - (Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel) by Robert Crais (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Elvis Cole is hired to help a young woman track down her father who went missing ten years ago. She is convinced he didn't abandon her and her mother, but prior investigations have turned up...empty. When the case takes a dark, unexpected turn, Elvis enlists Joe Pike's help and the two of them chase down the horrifying truth. Sometimes not knowing is better..."--

Book Synopsis

Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike, race to find a terrifying, unidentified killer in this twisting, unpredictable thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais.

Traci Beller was 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, ten years later, Traci is a high-profile influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire the best detective she can find: Elvis Cole.

Elvis heads to Rancha where 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 gang of vicious criminals, the missing persons cold case becomes far more sinister.

Elvis calls his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, for help, and they follow Tommy Beller's trail into the depths of a monstrous, hidden evil. The case flips on its head, victims become predators, predators become prey, and the question becomes: Can Elvis Cole save them all from this nightmare?

Review Quotes

A USA Today and New York Times Bestseller

"Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are right up there with Harry Bosch and Reacher as must reads for me. I finish every novel 100% satisfied and eager for the next installment. That's exactly what happened when I finished The Big Empty. Robert Crais has mastered the fine art of storytelling." --James Patterson, #1 bestselling author of the Alex Cross series

"The action culminates in a tense and thrilling finale, with a surprisingly moving aftermath." --Wall Street Journal

"The best Elvis Cole-Joe Pike book he's ever written." --Mike Lupica, New York Daily News

"Cole spices the action with wryly humorous observations, Pike is an irresistible force, and Crais' clear, precise prose makes reading as easy as breathing. 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." --Associated Press

"Robert Crais is the best crime writer alive today -- period and end of sentence." --BookTrib

"[A] good, solid mystery." --The Denver Post

"Crais in prime form." --The Financial Times

"The compelling tale is enriched by its true heart and humor. Cole has often been compared to Robert B. Parker's character Spenser, who was also known to grapple with the moral ambiguities of his work." --Booklist (starred review)

"This twisty thriller is a full of gripping scenes embedded in a well-crafted and riveting plot that hooked me from the very beginning . . . It has just the right amount of mystery, danger, and creative twists to make this book a winner." --Mystery & Suspense Magazine

"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." --Bookreporter

"The Big Empty is vintage Crais, with a plot that starts simple then turns dark, taking myriad twists leading to an unpredictable finale." --South Florida Sun Sentinel

"The Big Empty may be Crais's most powerful novel. A potent and surprising thriller." --Kirkus (starred review)

"The Big Empty has some yummy twists." --Dayton Daily News

"[U]nexpected twists and a high-voltage finale save the day. This will leave series fans eager for more." --Publishers Weekly

"Robert Crais [writes] thrilling, edgy, emotionally intense novels." -- Neil Nyren, CrimeReads

"Oh, and the big finish? It was such a shock and surprise that I went back and read it again." --Bookpage

"Crais masters compelling crime fiction by blending humor, terrific main characters, and suspense into a phenomenal package. Empty might be in the title, but this story is far from it." --First Clue

"With his sharp prose, well-drawn characters, and an intricate plot that never ceases to surprise, Robert Crais has crafted another masterpiece, delivering a story that is both a gripping page-turner and a profound exploration of hidden evils in The Big Empty, a must for anyone in search of an edge-of-your-seat reading experience that'll stay with you long after turning the final page." --The Real Book Spy

About the Author

Robert Crais is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-four novels, twenty of them featuring private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic, ex-Marine partner, Joe Pike. Before writing novels, Crais spent several years writing for such major television series as Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, and Miami Vice. He was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America and has received numerous awards, among them an Anthony Award from the World Mystery Convention, multiple Shamus and Barry Awards, and a Falcon Award from the Maltese Falcon Society of Japan. His novels have been translated into forty-two languages. A native of Louisiana, he lives in Los Angeles.