Robert Crais - The Forgotten Man (2005)
Robert Crais' Elvis Cole series has been around for 17 years now and in that time the novels about the Los Angeles P.I. have attracted both fans and considerable critical attention.
At the end of The Last Detective (2003), the previous book in the series, Cole's life was turned upside down, culminating in his being left by the woman he loved. As the new novel The Forgotten Man begins, things continue to go unpredictably and, often, horribly wrong.
An old man covered with crude religious tattoos has turned up in a dark alley, the victim of a brutal attack. Before he dies, his final words to a police officer are his claim to be the long-lost father of Elvis Cole.
This dramatic deathbed revelation opens the rawest wound Cole has ever suffered: his abandonment before birth by his father. Cole doesn't believe the dead man was his dad, but at the same time, part of him still fears he was.
Cole pursues the investigation, digging deeper into the old man's life and finding it one of mystery and violence, both of which the man tried desperately to hide. Along the way, Cole is again assisted by his longtime partner, Joe Pike, a sociopathic sidekick who has little to do in this story other than appear just in the nick of time to save the day.
Cole also rejoins forces with Carol Starkey, the former bomb squad technician from Demolition Angel (2000), who improbably falls in love with Cole despite his indifference.
All the elements are present to make another thrilling Crais mystery, but the spark, the special something that turns an ordinary book into an excellent one, is missing. The author has assembled the components of a story, but he's forgotten the soul. It's workmanlike and fans probably will enjoy it, but it falls short of Crais' usual excellence.
Posted by David J. Montgomery in Book Reviews | Permalink
Comments
Hi David, I wholeheartedly agree. I miss the forum on RC's site, but after this book that may be a blessing for him! It almost felt as if he had to have Joe appear because Joe is in avery book, and I'm not liking Starkey at all, in fact she annoys me more and more - as you say, improbable.
LA Requiem was a hard act to follow. The last 2 books haven't managed it, I hope the next one will.
Posted by: Rachel | Apr 1, 2005 10:04:18 AM
I have just finished The Forgotten Man, and like you, was just a little disappointed. Whilst I enjoyed the book, [all except that Lucy person, what on earth does he SEE in her?] the sparkle just wasn't there! Where were the sun salutations on the balcony, the humour, the loud shirts, the twiching of Joe's lips, I know that we all know this stuff, but we NEED these little details, in fact, where was JOE!?
I appreciate that L.A. Requiem is a hard act to follow, almost impossible in fact, but I live in hope for the next in the series, please don't let it be too long.
Please can we have the forum back, it is so sorely missed.
Posted by: Catherine | May 2, 2005 11:38:07 AM
Maybe I'm easier to please than other readers, but considering how harshly I've come down on some critics' darlings, e.g. Michael Connelly, I don't think so. I do think Crais's writing is beginning to develop subtleties that may well go unappreciated by those who just want the same wisecracking Elvis Cole of the first few novels. I loved THE FORGOTTEN MAN. I consider it the last book in Crais's trilogy that began with LA REQUIEM, and a strong finish as well. Crais continues to explore the same themes (father-son relationships; no one is really what he seems) as in virtually all of his other books, but in FM, he explores them for the first time as they directly relate to his protagonist. This book is clearly a journey of exploration into the Elvis Cole character, and IMHO, paints a living portrait of a human being with all his flaws, foibles, wishes, mistakes and wisdom. I've re-read this book twice and listened to it on cd twice. It will always be one of my favorites.
Posted by: Lily | Apr 20, 2008 8:30:29 PM
