Taken

An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel, Book 15

By: Robert Crais

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

The search for a missing girl leads private investigators Elvis Cole and Joe Pike into the nightmarish world of human trafficking in this #1 New York Times bestseller from Robert Crais.

When Nita Morales hires Elvis Cole to find her missing daughter, she's sure it's a ruse orchestrated by the girl and her boyfriend. She's wrong. They've been taken by bajadores - border bandits who prey on the innocent by buying, selling, and disposing of victims like commodities.

Cole and Joe Pike start an undercover investigation to find the couple, but their plan derails when Cole disappears, leaving Pike to burn through the murderous world of human traffickers to find his friend as well as the missing young people. But he may already be too late...

"Luke Daniels doesn't just narrate Robert Crais's latest novel featuring Elvis Cole and Joe Pike - he transports us to the terrifying world of human trafficking, which Cole must infiltrate in order to find a client's missing daughter."--Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

Investigate another case with Elvis Cole and Joe Pike.

©2012 Robert Crais (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Love Elvis Cole - Joe Pike

I love Robert's Crais characters (Dave R.). It is exactly the kind of entertaining mystery and action I prefer listening to in the car as I am driving. This one didn't disappoint. My big problem is keeping track of the books I have already ready over the years.

One of the Absolute Best

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

the plot was Addictive - Could not go on without knowing

Have you listened to any of Luke Daniels’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Luke Daniels is an aquired taste

Another winner

If you could sum up Taken in three words, what would they be?

intense story line

What did you like best about this story?

Relevance to Mexico border issues

Have you listened to any of Luke Daniels’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Good narrator

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The dark side of illegal immigration

Any additional comments?

Elvis Cole/ Joe Pike series, really great detective stories

Possibly my favorite Cole/Pike book

Would you listen to Taken again? Why?

Yes, and I have 5 or 6 times. Why? The characters. Pike is one of my all time favorite characters across any genre/medium, and listening to him go after the people who took Elvis, pure fun. Plus you get more Jon Stone, which is always a bonus.

What did you like best about this story?

There is a lot that I like about the story, but there is one part where Joe talks to Elvis's cat that I absolutely love!

What does Luke Daniels bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Just hearing the characters and the emotions in their voices adds just that little extra that I thinks makes it great.

Any additional comments?

Thanks Mr. Crais, another good one!

It was good but character timelines were scattered

Overall I liked this book, but my brain really struggled with the mass of different character groupings and timelines of events. One minute you’re with the kidnapped couple, the next chapter you’re back in time like it’s the chapter before and it’s only the girl, then it’s suddenly with the PI, then the cop, then back in time with one, then back, forward… Don’t think you’re going to even going to sweep your house while listening. Take a seat and a pen to take notes.

i love elvis and joe

i have read the entire several times. this one is a little different than the others. It is grittier than the others and you never know what is around the corner. I like joe's reaction when he thinks elvis might be killed. I know joe will save elvis in the end but it was enjoyable getting there. I am always ready for a new book. if you like the series you will like this book.

Crais does it again

Once again, Crais has given us a story with multiple angles and interwoven plot lines, plenty of action, and again, loose ends are nicely knotted at the finish.

I love Elvis and Pike but wish the narrator was a local

Like some of the other novels, the narrator mispronounces So California streets or cities. In this case Coachella. Repeatedly. As a native, it bothers me but I otherwise LOVE all the Elvis and Pike novels.

Good But Was Expecting a Little More

I am a big Robert Crais fan and was really looking forward to this one. I thought it was going to be another Joe Pike novel, but it was split between Joe and Elvis Cole. I found that, because it was told from both points of view, it lacked a little depth. The story was still good, but I missed the more personal reflections of Elvis or of Joe. Also, it was a bit more violent than usual. The first Elvis novels were really funny. I think Crais needs to go back to that style and lighten up a bit.

One of the better books in the Cole/Pike series

Crais is one of my favorite authors and this book does not disappoint! I group the series into three parts: books 1 through 7 (Indigo Slam), 8 through 12 (Chasing Darkness), and 13 (First Rule) to present. The books in the second part tend to be my favorites with Watchman being my overall favorite. This book is the best in the third grouping. Taken is the 15th book in the series and continues to build on previous themes, like John Stone.

The book moves fast, with time running out for Cole and the two kids he's trying to protect. The book does make an odd jump near the beginning that threw me at first - it jump forward in time after Cole has been taken, then jumps back, so be aware that's coming.

Luke Daniels is my favorite Cole/Pike narrator and he continues to do an excellent job in this book.