jjares reviewed on 10/3/2015 + 3413 more book reviews

This is the first book in a new series with Joe Pike as the main character and Elvis Cole acting as his sidekick. I knew immediately that Pike would have a tough time being a touchy-feely babysitter of this whiner.

It opens when John Stone calls in a favor from Pike to protect Larkin Barkley, a Paris Hilton wannabe, who runs into a Mercedes with dangerous people ... who now want her dead. The Feds quickly put Larkin into a witness-protection program. However, there are leaks and Larkin barely misses finding herself in the morgue several times.

In spite of the narrow misses, the Feds maintain that they can protect Larkin; her father isn't so sure. Pike is hired to protect the spoiled brat and he quickly severs all association with the Feds and her father. However, Pike does keep Larkin safe. Why Pike worked so hard for stupid people like Larkin and her father was beyond my understanding. I wanted Pike to leave Larkin in the middle of the street and call the bad guys with her location; Larkin defines the term spoiled.

What slayed me, however, was the interest Pike showed in Larkin and visa versa. Say it isn't so, Joe! If creating a genuinely irritating character is good writing, Robert Crais is fabulous.

In spite of the boundless snobbery and stupidity, Crais wrote an engaging thriller. Joe Pike certainly earns his money with the Barkley father and daughter.

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