The Sentry

An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel, Book 14

By: Robert Crais

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Private investigators Joe Pike and Elvis Cole get double-crossed in this twisty, gripping New York Times bestseller that will have readers on the edge of their seats.

When gangbangers shake down the modest owner of a Los Angeles eatery, Joe Pike intervenes. For all intents and purposes, Pike saved Wilson Smith's life. But for reasons of their own, Smith and his lovely niece, Dru, are curiously resentful. It's only when Pike's feelings for the woman deepen that he and his partner, Elvis Cole, discover that Dru and her uncle are not at all who they seem, and everything Pike has learned about them is a lie. But it's much more than a deception. It's a trap. And with every new twist it's proving to be a killer.

Investigate another case with Elvis Cole and Joe Pike.

©2011 Robert Crais (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Not bad but not my favorite

I tried early Elvis Cole and instant dislike, mainly the narration. But Luke Daniels is a huge improvement and I'm enjoying the stories with Pike sharing the spotlight. There were a few lags in this one but enjoyed most when Elvis entered and he and Pike worked as a team.

All in all a decent listen.

Another great Robert Crais book

Good story with suspense and characters and another great job of narration by Luke Daniels

Neat

Well done Mr Crais. I got immersed into the story so much that I almost cried at the end just like Cole did. Other beautiful thing with this book is the way new characters were built. Distinct, clean, crisp and complex enough to say quality beats quantity in many cases including this.

Getting a bit formulaic, but still good.

Robert Crais can still write up a storm, and Luke Daniels can narrate. A long long time ago, maybe 25 years, I was sitting outside of a bookstore reading one of his first books, and I was laughing out loud. A woman came over and asked what I was reading, as there really aren't that many LOL authors. Who knew that reading was a way to meet women?
In any case, Crais's plots are beginning to get repetitive. Elvis and Joe Pike continue to be interesting characters, although Joe's strong-but-silent act is starting to wear thin. And I found myself having a hard time keeping the bad guys straight here: the Mexican drug dealers, el M, the Bolivian drug cartels, and maybe somebody else. A thing that I thought really awkward was Crais's attempt to portray auditory hallucinations. Daniel, the primary bad guy, hears the voices of two people, one male and one female, and they talk silly. Not to be technical here, but hallucinations are not cute, and they don't repeat themselves in some kind of singsong way. Luke makes a good stab at it, but all told I think Crais should stay away from that. It sounds very odd.
Who am I to argue with success, though? Elvis and Joe have sold one heck of a lot of books, so I'm sure that Crais can do without my opinions. And, after twenty five or so years of buying his books, I will continue to do that, because, who knows? The next one might be fantastic. I do miss the humor, though. In the beginning he was funny on almost every page, and now he seems to have become much more a thriller writer and less a fun guy. Elvis is still a smartass, of course, just not as wry as he used to be.

Great Book

Great book, great narrator. I have read all of Crais and this is one of the best! Too short, I could have listened 3 or 4 more hours.

Best Joe Pike Novel Yet

The Joe Pike novels up till now have been kind of shallow and hokey but fun. This one actually has a involved exciting plot as well as the fun simplistic Dirty Harry type action. Recommend it.

Pike gets a woman ... kinda.

I like Elvis Cole ... but Joe Pike is minimalist cool. I thought the pace of this story was better then the first two. The usual twist at the end was unexpected. The biggest downside to the book is we are losing the mystery of the character ... which was a highlight of the Cole Series.

Best yet in the Series!

Best yet in the Series! if you are a Pike and Cole fan this is as good as it gets!

Wonderfull book series

I like the way RC writes and love how the book is brought to life by Luke. My husband will even listen to these books.

The Sentry

I love All of the Elvis Cole Novels and this is one of the best. Joe Pike is a favorite character and he comes alive in this book. Could not get out of the car. Great read.