Private Investigator, Elvis Cole

Elvis Cole is one of the more infamous characters that have been spawned out of the mind of Robert Crais, a mystery novel writer. In almost every novel, Cole is thought to be tough, good looking, and very skilled at what he does. Cole is a private investigator who often tackles very difficult cases.

There is only one woman in Cole’s life, his wife, Lucy Chanier. Chanier is an attorney with a 10 year old son, Ben. Chanier seems to always keep Cole on the right track when he gets confused on a case. Crais, author of the series, sweeps the hard-boiled Cole through nail biting thrillers, co-mingled with gut-wrenching endings.

Although Cole was created to be an amazingly skilled private investigator, along with being a crafty detective, he has a lot of human frailties. For example, Cole is often getting in trouble due to his short temper and smart mouth. His partner, Joe Pike, an African American with a mysterious background, does not say much throughout the novels, but often bangs heads with Cole.

The first novel of the series, “The Monkey’s Raincoat,” stars Elvis Cole as the main private investigator. In the beginning of the series, Cole was tagged by readers as very similar to another author's character, Spenser. As time went on though, Cole evolved into a more serious character, dropping some of his witty remarks. Since then, Elvis Cole has evolved into the steely-eyed, stubborn character he is today.

Robert Crais’ family background is heavily rooted in law enforcement. This gives Crais all the tools for writing some great crime fiction. Crais moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1970s. His novels are inspired greatly by the city’s vibrant culture and high crime rate. Elvis Cole and his partner, Joe Pike, are enough reason to catch up on these books for some excellent crime fiction reads.