Free Fall

An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel, Book 4

By: Robert Crais

Narrated by: Mel Foster

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

"A thoughtful and powerful page turner."--People

Elvis Cole is just a detective who can't say no, especially to a girl in a terrible fix. And Jennifer Sheridan qualifies: Her fiancé, Mark Thurman, is a decorated LA cop with an elite plainclothes unit, but Jennifer's sure he's in trouble - the kind of serious trouble that only Elvis Cole can help him out of.

Five minutes after his new client leaves his office, Elvis and his partner, the enigmatic Joe Pike, are hip-deep in a deadly situation as they plummet into a world of South Central gangs, corrupt cops, and conspiracies of silence. And before the case is through, every copy in the LAPD will be gunning for a pair of escaped armed-and-dangerous killers - Elvis Cole and Joe Pike.

"Elvis Cole provides more fun for the reader than any L.A. private eye to come along in years."--Joseph Wambaugh

"Elvis lives, and he's on his way to being crowned the king of detectives."--Booklist

Investigate another case with Elvis Cole and Joe Pike.

©2008 Robert Crais (P)2008 Brilliance Audio

If not for ... it would be good

This was my first Elvis Cole and Joe Pike novel and it will probably be my last. Here is this ultra competent guy, Joe Pike that towards the end of the story apparently messes up so badly several people get killed. I say apparently because there is no explanation as to how it happened. It's as if the author wrote the ending first, couldn't figure out how to have Joe Pike screw up so badly, so he just left that part out.

If, unlike me, you can overlook this one major flaw the book is worth the credit and well paced with good character development.

great book

This was a great book as the others in the series so far. I do like the person doing the audio reading better on the first ones.

Elvis Cole -- great again

I just love Elvis Cole and Joe Pike,
this is just another great story -- Police trouble and gangs

good stuff!

Good Writer should have a good narrator

The narrator killed this book for me and I am a Crais fan. If you can get past the narrator you might like it.

the suspense in the story

I love Joe Pike and Elvis Cole. two hard hitters, All Robert Crais books are top notch. Great srory lines. .

Are You There Elvis?

It was difficult to hear Elvis and Joe underneath the narrator’s characterization of them. This was not a good match up. I hope he doesn’t perform book five😬.

Voice to old for 39 year old man.

I was very disappointed in this audio after listening to the first 4. The narrator changed from what seemed age appropriate to a much older sounding voice. I was extremely disappointed and sad that I wasted a credit on this.

Not his best.

For openers, "Mark Thurman"? Too much like Mark Furman of OJ fame not to be distracting. The story itself probably isn't bad but the narration is terrible. I like the characters, Cole and Pike so I'll be looking at more but no more narrated by Mr. Foster for me.

Agree with other reviewers: This one you can skip.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Different narrator. Mel Foster would be good for other books, but reduces Joe Pike from everybody's personal hero to just some sidekick with a few guns. And a better-suited narrator would have helped overcome the frustrations brought on by the lead female character.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Rewrite the female lead character to be way less annoying. Being somewhat annoying is part of her charm; her draw. I get that. But when you wish you could reach through the speakers and strangle this lead character that Elvis Cole somehow has any patience for, the whole listening experience is way too frustrating. This aspect made it difficult to develop any connection with some very important characters.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Mel Foster?

Luke Daniels or Robert Crais. Both do Pike as he was meant to be heard.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Free Fall?

None. I don't think there are scenes that detract from the story or slow the pace too much. Along these lines, I never choose an abridged version over an unabridged. I might feel differently about cutting scenes in terms of a 'reading' experience, but not for a 'listening' experience.