The Big Empty

Elvis Cole/Joe Pike, Book 20

De: Robert Crais

Narrado por: Luke Daniels

Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike, race to find a terrifying, unidentified killer in this twisting, unpredictable thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais.

Traci Beller was thirteen when her father disappeared in the sleepy town of Rancha, not far from Los Angeles. The evidence says Tommy Beller abandoned his family, but Traci never believed it. Now, ten years later, Traci is a high-profile influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire the best detective she can find: Elvis Cole.

Elvis heads to Rancha where an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter, Anya, might have a line on the missing man. But when Elvis finds himself shadowed by a gang of vicious criminals, the missing persons cold case becomes far more sinister.

Elvis calls his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, for help, and they follow Tommy Beller's trail into the depths of a monstrous, hidden evil. The case flips on its head, victims become predators, predators become prey, and the question becomes: Can Elvis Cole save them all from this nightmare?

©2024 by Robert Crais. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Great story line!

Robert Crais is one of my favorite writers and I love the characters actors Elvis and Joe. Lots of twists and turns in this one with strong and interesting characters. I wish it hadn’t ended! Great read!

Addictive!

Loved the funny parts!
Pike and Cole are Awwwwwwsome! "sidekick"....lol
Story was incredible!
Writing perfection!

the twisted plot

great read had me from the get go. couldn't predict the ending till it played out.

Elvis’ relationship with his cat

Performance. His voices were disturbing. Good Story, a little disappointing finish. Kill car?
I like Crais stories, some more than this one.

A Worthy Entry

I enjoyed this book. I've missed Elvis and Pike.

Following Elvis' detective work is always fun as the suspense slowly builds, and the reveals were good. You think you know all the things, but there are some surprises--at least for me. I guessed some but not all.

As usual, Crais injects a nice dose of brotherhood and feelings into his tough-guy tale.

Another Robert Crais hit!

Another great Elvis Cole and Joe Pike adventure. Robert Crais balances suspense and humor just right. The story could have been a lot heavier to hear without Elvis Cole’s humor.

Elvis

I thought this book was a little on the dark side for Elvis. Once I started it, I could not put it down. Excellent plot twist ending.

Elvis and Joe and the cat

The best part of any Elvis Cole book is the unbreakable bond between him and Joe Pike. The humor is also fun, although there wasn’t much of that in this story. The other great reoccurring character is Elvis’ semi-feral cat. The plot here was pretty predictable, but it’s always fun to ride along with these two great guys. Not a fan of this narrator though.

I want to be friends with Robert Crais

I have read or listened to every Elvis Cole / Joe Pike novel, and Robert Crais never lets me down. In fact, he may be the only man who continues to provide me with the kind of happiness that comes from trust. Silly you say? No, dear reader, the truth is I smile when I’m in Crais’s hands because I know he will give me hours of enjoyment. It’s hard to say if it’s his perfect pairing of Elvis and Joe, his well-placed, and thankfully, not overdone dialog, or his ability to cleverly tell a story in his own unique way. It just works.

You know how some writers just seem to hit the mark for you? That’s how I feel about Crais. (Note to Robert Crais: Please keep this Elvis/Joe partnership going, and don’t muck it up by swerving off in a new and utterly unnecessary direction.)

No doubt a good narrator is critical. Luke Daniels understands the unique characteristics of Elvis and Joe, and is able to infuse the proper tone for both. I can’t imagine any other narrators doing such a good job. The only suggestion I’d make is to go a little less husky for the women’s voices. I am probably in the majority of listeners who cringe when we hear a man doing a woman’s voice in an unrealistic high pitch. I’m guessing that Daniels is careful not to make that mistake, so perhaps he over corrects and goes more husky. But, there’s no question that the husky voice is much better than the cutesy, fake girly voices that some male narrators do in an attempt to sound more feminine.

The truth is that men don’t have to shift octaves so drastically to sound like a woman. As long as there’s enough differentiation between characters’ voices, that’s great. Daniels has great range and there’s no problem telling one character from another.

I don’t know who I adore more: Elvis or Joe. Or maybe it is, after all, their creator, Robert Crais.

Crais does not disappoint

During the first part of the audiobook, I was afraid it was a bit too flippant and the story would be weak. I like the narrator, but his Elvis seemed more campy than usual. After the first quarter or so, concern disappeared. And the narrator faded behind the gripping story, which delivered emotional gut punches through the end with the greater development of complex characters.
The worst thing about Cole/Pike stories is the wait in between their publication.