Taken

Taken (2012) Robert Crais

This is a Elvis Cole and Joe Pike book I had not read before.

I didn’t especially enjoy this book. Possibly because it’s about modern slave traders and brutal murders. That’s… hard to take. I already know these horrible things happen. I really don’t need the details in my brain.

The other reason was that this story was split between Joe Pike and Elvis Cole with a good deal of Jon Stone thrown in. I would not want to spend any time with Jon Stone.

I mean, he’s interesting, but not in a fascinating way.

Jon Stone had worked the two drunk ex-ROK gangsters for no other reason than gathering intelligence was in his nature.

Jon gave her the smile that made him look like a cruising tiger shark. “I’d like my attorney if we’re going to talk. I asked the detectives to call him, but they said something rude.”

Her face tightened with irritation for the first time. “You gave them a Washington phone number and told them to call the Deputy Director of the National Security Agency.”

“Yes, ma’am. He’ll take your call if you use my name. Boy has me on speed-dial.”

Jon Stone walked out of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Station beneath an overhead full moon at the beginning of its lazy slide to the west. Everything in Jon’s possession at the time of his arrest had been returned with the exception of Khalil Haddad, who would remain a guest of the United States government. No loss.

There is of course Cole, who is my favorite, but less of him than normal.

“Hi, Mr. Cole, I’m Nita. You look like your picture.”

“The one where I look stupid or the one where I look confused?”

“The one where you look like a smart, determined detective who gets the job done.”

And of course Cole’s cat.

This black cat who lives with me was waiting by his dish, but he wasn’t waiting for me to feed him. He had brought his own. A fourteen-inch piece of king snake was on the floor by the bowl. It was still twitching. Maybe he wanted to share.

I did like the bits where Pike considers Cole, mostly because they are so very different, that it fascinates me.

(Pike) stared at Cole’s car. Filthy. Pike washed his Jeep every day, and waxed it every two months. Cole’s home was neat and orderly, and Cole was fastidiously clean when he cooked, but his car was a mess. Pike did not understand it, though he often wondered if it revealed some truth Pike was unable to understand.

He thought about Elvis Cole, and their friendship, and hoped Cole was inside and alive. He told himself Cole was alive. Pike took the Jiminy Cricket from his pocket. He looked at it. A toy cricket. Pike put it back in his pocket. If Cole was dead, there would be hell to pay.

I especially liked the Jiminy Cricket, since there wasn’t much else of Cole’s love of Disney here.

I’m kinda glad I didn’t buy this book but instead borrowed it, because I don’t think I care to re-read it.
Rating: 6/10

Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

• Browse the archives:
  
• Legion: Skin Deep, Audio Version » »
• « « Galileo’s Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith and Love