Taken (An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel, Book 15) - Crime Thriller Mystery for Adults - Perfect for Vacation Reading & Book Club Discussions

If I were ever somehow restricted to reading only 3 authors for the rest of my life, Robert Crais' Elvis Cole/Joe Pike novels would be one of my choices. This gripping series has grown and matured right along with its signature characters until the novels are must reads for a huge number of followers. These book are always filled with people you care about--whether for good or for ill--and scenes so vividly depicted that you feel you are almost there. Crais' plots are timely, tight and compact often filled with sudden violence, depraved and immoral criminals;yet, where justice, according to Cole and Pike, ultimately prevails. But the whole experience of these books is built on the bonds of friendship between Elvis and Joe and things they do for one another whether bidden or not. Humor and character development help lubricate the plots. The last page of "Taken" poignantly reflects this deepest of friendships in a very simple unstated yet powerful manner that had me mumbling "perfect" as I closed the book."Taken" visits the ugly world of human trafficking--specifically the "bajadores", evilly immoral bandits along the US/Mexican border who steal illegal immigrants (pollos) from their coyotes or drug cartels in order to extort ransom money from their families, knowing full well that when the money runs out or isn't paid, the hapless immigrants will be killed and dumped in the desert. The Syrian is the leader of just such a group of bajadores who prey on the weak and the desperate who sweep up a young American couple, Krista and Jack, who are unfortunately in the wrong place at the right time. Krista's mother hires Elvis to find her daughter and before long, Cole finds himslf aligned against sinister cartels, evil bajadores, and the Korean underworld (seeking stolen Koreans). Outnumbered and outgunned, he calls in Joe Pike who increases their odds by calling in Jon Stone, a fellow mercenary who finally gets a lot of face time in "Taken". Things really get wild when Cole disappears while attempting to go undercover to buy back the young couple from the Syrian."Taken" is Crais' 15th Cole/Pike novel and I found it one of the best and most suspenseful of his thillers. Crais changes his construction formula a bit to alternate chapters between POVs, mainly Joe's, Elvis's, and Krista's, and he time shifts back and forth enough to annoy some of his loyal readers. For me, once I adjusted to the challenge of this approach, I felt rewarded by greater suspense and uncertainty about the next step that simply added to the thrills as each scene was portrayed from the eyes and minds of Elvis, Joe, Jon, or Krista. If you are a Crais longtime reader, grab this one and prepare for a white-knuckler. If you have never read a Cole/Pike novel, this is a great embarkation point without needing a lot of background. Very strongly recommended.