The First Rule - (Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel) by Robert Crais (Paperback)

About the Book

From the "New York Times"-bestselling author who sets the standard for intense, powerful crime-writing comes a blistering thriller featuring Joe Pike and Elvis Cole. Unexpected twists . . . A beautifully crafted piece of storytelling.--"The Seattle Times." Available in a tall Premium Edition.

Book Synopsis

Joe Pike and his partner Elvis Cole must solve the murder of an old friend and his entire family in this gripping thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais.

When Frank Meyer and his family are executed during a home invasion, the police begin investigating the secret life they're sure Meyer had. Joe Pike's on a hunt of his own: to clear his friend's name, and to punish the people who murdered him. What starts out as a simple trail gets twisted fast by old grudges, double crosses, blood vengeance, and a crime so terrible even Pike and his partner Elvis Cole have no way to measure it.

Review Quotes

"Is it possible for a crime novel to be both ultra-violent and elegant? If so, then The First Rule is a prime example. The mayhem is graphic and unflinching, but the prose and story line are as sleek and efficient as a beautifully crafted piece of machinery."--The Seattle Times

"[The First Rule] will satisfy longtime fans and make new ones...well-written action sequences and snappy dialogue."--Los Angeles Times

"Crais follows a straightforward, no-nonsense tradition that marks him as a direct descendant of Raymond Chandler."--Pittsburg Tribune-Review

"A devastatingly effective thriller."--The Providence Journal

"Adrenaline-fueled...Pike emerges as an enigmatically appealing hero, whose lethal skills never overshadow his unflappable sense of morality."--Publishers Weekly

"Crais plants each twist carefully and detonates it expertly...Righteous vengeance, a reckless pace, astratospheric body count, and just enough surprises to keep you turning the pages."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Robert Crais is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels, many of them featuring private investigator Elvis Cole and his laconic ex-cop partner, Joe Pike. Before writing his first novel, Crais spent several years writing scripts for such major television series as Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, Miami Vice, Quincy, Baretta, and L.A. Law. He received an Emmy nomination for his work on Hill Street Blues, and one of his standalone novels, Hostage, was made into a movie starring Bruce Willis. His novels have been translated into forty-two languages and are bestsellers around the world. A native of Louisiana, he lives in Los Angeles.