This, right here, is the low point for the Elvis Cole series. So why, you ask, do you give this 3 stars? Am I just that much of a mindless fanboy? Well, probably. But that's not it. One's appreciation for this novel has everything to do with what you think of the clients. If you like them, see something in them that teaches us something about Elvis -- you'll probably like this book. If not, well, this'll likely be a tougher read for you. Now, me? I liked the kids, especially Teri, the Fifteen year-old eldest sister, and substitute mom. Little sister Winona's clearly adorable, Charles is a punk clearly in need of a strong male authority figure. Either individually, or considered as a group, I liked the kids -- and therefore, when they ask the World's Greatest Detective to find their absentee dad - I cared. If it was almost anyone else looking for their dad, Clark, I can't imagine caring. Once Elvis found him, I quickly reached the point where I didn't care if Elvis was able to help him, as long as the kids would be alright. Towards the end of the book, both Elvis and Joe make a major blunder that almost gets all of them killed. And sure, I don't necessarily expect the two to have everything worked out before they take action -- but there was evidence enough that they could've been on their toes security-wise and not almost got killed in the process. Not only do they miss the pretty obvious conclusion, they don't even see that there's a conclusion to be found. I've read Indigo four times now, and it distracts and detracts each time.What makes Elvis' (and, to be fair, Joe's) blunder so egregious, was that it was hot on the heels of Elvis' latest cunning plan. Some of these plans he comes up with to get his clients/clients' families out of hot water stretch credulity, this one takes the cake. As Blackadder would say, it's "a plan so cunning, you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel!" I can't believe that anyone would go along with it -- beyond the desperate family, that is -- but not only do a group of criminals/revolutionaries, but Elvis gets multiple federal agencies to sign off. And it works. Mostly.But somehow the book works. For two independent reasons: 1. As I stated previously, because of the clients -- I bought into them. And 2., Because of the Lucy Story. There was just something I liked about these kids and their plight -- I believed it, I could see it. I enjoyed watching Elvis and Joe interact with them (really sick of Joe as baby sitter, let him do a little more, Elvis!)There's a little bit of a Lucy story, not as big as in the last two novels, but it's there, and it's an important development of what started in Sunset Express. But more than that, it's a chance for Elvis to demonstrate the sensitive, caring male that he is. For Lucy to be an independent woman. And for the reader to see that this isn't going to be a relationship that's only wine and roses. Yes, Elvis is still the giddy, goofy guy in love making kissy sounds over the phone. But he's also an adult who respects his partner.Not a whole lot (other than Joe and Lucy) to tie this one to earlier novels -- Elvis continues to use Lou Poitras and Eddie Ditko as his own personal (anachronistic) Google. And Elvis' actions in Free Fall end up paying off for him, which was nice to see.In the end, this was pretty blah. There were some nice character moments, a few chuckles, a nice firefight or two..but that's really it. Not much going for it at all, which is a shame. Not the way that Phase 1 for Elvis Cole should end -- but the parts that are a prequel for Phase 2 were strong enough (you'll have to read L. A. Requiem to better understand that).
If you've been following along with the ongoing Elvis Cole saga, you know exactly how these stories go: Elvis gets hired by someone (usually female) with a sob story, he pokes around while employing his signature wise-assery, finds that All Is Not What It Seems, gets beaten up, brings in his Terminator-like bestie Joe Pike, shoots the hell out of the bad guys, fails to get paid, then pops a cold one on the balcony of his Hollywood Hills A-frame. Did I leave out anything? Good.This one is little different, except this time the female client is 15 and a surrogate mother to two younger moppets. Their ne'er-do-well father went off on business and didn't come home; can Elvis Cole find him? Of course he can...and he also finds the gangsters of various ethnicities who are also after the hapless, wayward dad for a variety of reasons. Kidnappings, gunfights, and threats to Cole's bodily and emotional health ensue.Cole is an engaging character, and author Crais knows his insides and outsides well by now. His voice is solidly established and consistent throughout. We see the world through his eyes, and luckily Cole can describe a scene well enough for us to picture it easily. Cole has always been a soft touch, and here he gets to ponder the imponderabilities of children in between deadly threats to his life. The prose flows smoothly and quickly. Crais has a knack for creating vivid secondary characters, which is a vital skill when the main protagonists remain the same through the series. Teri, the client, is a pretty convincing high-functioning mid-teen, and her younger brother is an equally convincing brat.So why the semi-meh rating? If you've ridden with Cole before, nothing happens here that will surprise you much. A good deal of the dialog veers into banter. Cole's wiseass act wears with repetition. He constantly stumbles into situations that call for him to be tied to chairs and beaten by goons, yet he never seems to develop radar for that sort of thing, only one of several indicators of a lack of growth or development. And I'm seriously over Joe Pike as both a character and a type; as the lead's obligatory stone-killer sidekick, he's yet another version of Spenser's Hawk and Easy Rawlins' Mouse, yet with less charisma, and has come to mostly relieve Cole of having to detect his way out of trouble rather than shooting his way out.This is the seventh Elvis Cole novel and the sixth I've read (I somehow missed Sunset Express). I remember liking the first couple pretty well, and the next couple well enough, but at this point I'm undecided whether I want to sign up for more. Cole's still good enough company, but the formula has become so well-established that I can call the twists and beats well before they happen. (I get to this point sooner or later with most series, so this isn't unique to Crais.) Other than gaining a steady girlfriend, I can't think of a way that Cole has changed or grown much since his debut in The Monkey's Raincoat.If you haven't encountered Elvis Cole before and happen to run across this on the airline seat next to you, it's as good an introduction as any. If you're a rabid Cole fan and can't wait to see if Pike finally removes his sunglasses, go ahead and read this. But if you're like me -- on the bubble about this series, hoping the next one will do something different -- you're not going to find "new" in Indigo Slam.
What do You think about Indigo Slam (2003)?
This is a story about LA P.I. Elvis Cole. He is a really good investigator with a heart. He cares more about doing the right thing than about getting paid. This sometimes creates a problem with the bottom line, but he and his investigator partner, Joe Pike, always manage to make it work. Here Elvis and Joe help a group of children find their missing father. Of course, it is not as straight forward as it seems. The father is in a very complicated legal situation that puts everyone in danger. I like the Elvis character and enjoy his escapades. He is also a good cook and has a cat. These stories are not published frequently and are kind of hard to find but worth the search.
—Linda Vanderbloom
The tradition of the externally tough, internally sentimental, wise-cracking Private Eye is alive and well in the inventive mind of Robert Crais. Where Chandler's Marlowe led the way, and Parker's Spenser followed, Elvis Cole fully upholds the style and the standard. Where Spenser has Hawk, Susan and Pearl the dog. Cole has Pike, Lucy and a battle-scarred cat.In Indigo Slam they duck and dive among a rich supporting cast (some more believable than others) of federal marshals, Russian mobsters, Asian counterfeiters, assorted police and secret service personnel, plus a trio of children. Eight-year-old Charles, forever flipping the finger and f-ing 'm, will make you laugh, fifteen-year-old Teri will bring you close to tears.The plot is intricate but cleverly constructed to accelerate the page turning; the surprises are frequent. If for me there was one final twist too many, I still closed the book and immediately placed my order for the next. I need to know if Elvis and Lucy really have solved the problem of Lucy's nasty ex-husband.
—Gerald Sinstadt
An early Elvis Cole novel and at first I really liked it and then Elvis began to act unexpectedly. In other words, it wasn't quite believable for me and I had a hard time liking the character who was coming across rather arrogant and quite frankly, stupid. Of course, it turned out OK for all involved so the series could continue. I will keep reading his books when nothing better is available on my 'to read' list. Elvis is not quite the detective that Robert Parker's Spencer is or JA Jance's Beaumont, or Nevada Barr's Anna Pidgeon, or Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak.
—Liz
