The Promise: An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel - Gripping Crime Thriller for Mystery Lovers | Perfect for Book Clubs & Late-Night Reading

Length: Print, 408 pages, Audio, 9 hours, 11 minutes.Amazon Kindle Sales Rank when this review was posted: 154.I've not read any of the other Robert Crais novels, although there are several top hits.Feel free to leave a comment at the end of this review.Language: A gritty street language English, consistent with the characters and the environment they inhabit. This writer is similar to Elmore Leonard in tempo and language, albeit, Crais is more circumspect than Leonard. There, of course, are f-bombs sprinkled in the colorful language.The best part about this novel is the pace and tone. Description of the scenes and characters is sufficient to paint a picture that the reader can still color according to his/her desires and imagination. This is what I find most appealing in a good novel.Also, as in most any good, modern novel, there is character development that is more than mere filler material. There probably would be more, except this is a series of novels.Speaking of a series, despite this being one story within a series, I found it a fun read despite never having read any other of the stories. It is not necessary to read the others, but I certainly will now go back and order the other titles in audio book format through Audible.That reminds me, although this is a good read, I think audio would be a better way to digest this story, as the pace and flow, built on dialogue, is especially good in spoken word books.The below excerpt should help readers gain a better feel for this can't miss best seller:“The people you work for listen.”"I’m home two days, bro. What are you talking about?”"Stolen ordnance in Echo Park. RPGs and forty-millimeter grenades. Cole’s trying to find a woman. He thinks she’s with the dealer.”Now Jon was pissed. After thirteen years in the Army, the last six with Delta, Jon Stone had jumped the shark to become a private military contractor. He sold his services and the services of others to various clients, one said other being this very Joe Pike, who, by the way, commanded top dollar, which meant a top commission if Pike let Jon set a contract, which he wouldn’t, because Pike wasted his time with Elvis Cole, a low-rent peeper without two twenties to wipe his butt."What the hell, Pike? I don’t care about Cole and his problems. Tell me you didn’t pull me away from those women without serious cash on the table.”"If the woman’s with him, he probably sells to al-Qaeda.”Stopped Jon cold. Jon Stone’s primary client was the United States of America, with most of his work being directed against various terrorist factions and the governments, corporations, and individuals who supported them. Off the books, and deep in the black. When Jon Stone told the French chicks he was a professional warrior, he wasn’t lying.Jon glanced at his bedroom again. Nothing moved within the black rectangle framed by the doors."Al-Qaeda.”Pike nodded."Listen, so you know, just because some idiot sells this crap doesn’t mean it’s going to terrorists. All-American morons turn grenades into paperweights, and RPGs into lamps.”"The woman doesn’t care about morons. She’s been trying to contact an FTO.”FTO. Foreign terrorist organization.Jon was totally disgusted."This is why I hate you wasting your time with Cole, bulls*** like this. What are we talking about here, a crazy person, or some kind of anti-American lunatic?”"They killed her son.”Although there is a teaser at the end, leading into the next story, this is a solid novel worthy of my time and money, despite a somewhat high price.