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THE FORGOTTEN MAN
by Robert Crais
Doubleday, February 2005
352 pages
$24.95
ISBN: 0385504284


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

What a boon it was for the crime fiction genre when Robert Crais forsook his profession of mechanical engineer in order to fulfill his ambition to become a writer. Crais won the hearts of the reading public with the creation of his hardboiled detective Elvis Cole and that redoubtable protagonist's partner Joe Pike. Together, the two have battled their way through baffling cases which bestowed on them many scars, both psychological and physical.

Readers were somewhat disconcerted when Crais temporarily deserted Elvis when, in DEMOLITION ANGEL, he created the socially inept bomb expert Carol Starkey. What better way to get the best out of both characters than to have them work together? Carol, now with the LAPD, was instrumental in the recovery of Ben, the young son of Cole's former girlfriend. Reluctantly -- and unrecognised by Cole -- Starkey fell in love with Elvis.

A dead man, bearing newspaper articles about the great detective Elvis Cole, is found in an alley. Prior to his death he confided that he was looking for his son, the detective featured in the stories. Elvis is contacted by Kelly Diaz, the detective in charge of the case, but of course Cole, who had an eccentric childhood, is initially unable to help with the identification. He can see no physical similarity between the dead man and himself (I wondered why he did not attempt DNA testing) but feels driven to help with the case. Carol Starkey, too, becomes involved and the duo, together with Joe Pike, find themselves, as usual in deadly peril.

The chase sees Cole travel to various sites, including the headquarters of an escort agency which the remarkably tattooed corpse had patronised pre-mortem. The dead man's activities provide Cole with much food for thought as he tries to identify the mystery man. All the while, Starkey's unrequited love sees her inadvertently protecting the detective.

This narrative shines yet more light on Elvis Cole's murky family history. He is constrained by his ever-present desire to know the identity of his father and understand why his mother always told him his father was a human cannonball. The reader learns some of Elvis' childhood escapades where he, even then, attempted to locate his father. Small wonder that his curiosity survives into adulthood.

As always, Crais does not stint on thrills, nor does he spare his characters injury. By now it goes without saying that a reader will find him or herself ankle deep in blood and guts before the conclusion of the story. Nonetheless, the writing is always of the highest quality with the characterisation being eminently believable. An excellent and involving read.

Reviewed by Denise Pickles, March 2005

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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