Sunset Express (Elvis Cole, #6)
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Sunset Express (Elvis Cole #6)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00  ·  rating details  ·  1,768 ratings  ·  77 reviews
Prominent restaurateur Teddy Martin is facing charges in his wife’s brutal murder. But he’s not going down without spending a bundle of cash on his defense. So his hotshot attorney hires P.I. Elvis Cole to find proof that Detective Angela Rossi tampered with the evidence. Rossi needs a way back to the fast track after falling hard during an internal investigation five year...more
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Published January 25th 2005 by Ballantine Books (first published 1996)
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Tony
Tony rated it 3 of 5 stars
Robert Crais- Sunset Express (Ballantine Books 2005) 3.25 Stars

Teddy Martin is a wealthy restaurateur, who is being accused of murdering his wife. He has now hired Jonathan Green, a topnotch defence lawyer, to defend him. That lawyer has hired Elvis Cole to look into the possibility of police tampering with evidence to make him look guilty. As the investigation heats up, Cole and Pike start to think that it may not be the police who have something to hide.

An okay introduc...more
Ami
The story is opened in Elvis Cole retelling an event that lead to him being hired by a media-loving attorney, Jonathan Green. Green represents a man, Theodore Martin, who is accused of killing his wife. Only, Green thinks that the LAPD, speficially Detective-two Angela Rossi has planted an evidence. Though at first, following a tip to the attorney's hotline, Cole finds an evidence that proof LAPD's reckleness but soon he discovers that there might be foul play from the defense team.

I...more
Kevin Allmaras
I enjoy the Elvis Cole series. For me always a fast read. Not to much mystery in this story, more about getting to the culprits and proving it. The story starts as a famous restaurant owner may or may not have killed his wife. When the body is found one of the four detectives Angela Rossi goes down the treacherous hill to examine the body. Her history is one of trying to become the first female chief of detectives. Her aggressiveness in this pursuit has caused her many problems and made her a ta...more
Tyson Adams
This is my first Robert Crais novel, after having to return a previous attempt to the library - stupid overdue fees! For Sunset Express I was well prepared, I bought a copy so that I would definitely have the chance to read an Elvis Cole and Joe Pike mystery. A very worthy investment.

While I'm indifferent about some of the characters in the novel, Elvis is a great narrator and has just the right amount of wit and humour. Robert has certainly crafted an interesting series of investigati...more
Tom
Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars
Crais' writing is entertaining and humorous. His character, Elvis Cole, has lots of pizazz, and he has a stubborn standard of values. In Sunset Express, a Hollywood star is charged with his wife's murder. The star claims she was kidnapped, he paid a ransom, but the kidnappers killed her anyway. The star hires Johnathan Green, a high-profile attorney, to represent him. Green, in turn, hires Cole, first to check out the LAPD (as in Los Angeles) arresting officer, who is alleged to have planted ev...more
Dianne
Dianne rated it 3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for: crime/detectives fans
Shelves: crime-american
A Cole & Pike novel.

This is one of a series of books featuring Elvis Cole a PI and Pike, but it reads as a stand-alone. Jonathon Green, a renowned defence lawyer, hires Cole to assess whether LAPD police-woman Rossi tampered with evidence. His client is accused of his wife's murder.

It is an easy read. Crais style is clean and unembellished, although he does detail looks, dress, music, food, vehicles and buildings. (I must admit being tempted to try out one of Cole's rec...more
Cathy DuPont
Elvis Cole is one crackerjack P.I. who easily says, he's 'the greatest detective in the world.' Yeh, he's a little cocky but he is very good at what he does and he's got Joe Pike as his backup. Pike would make any one just a little cocky.

So many things to love about Elvis...besides his name if you're an Elvis P. fan.

His black cat for one, the cat who hates everyone except Elvis and Joe. Black cat (no name) reminds me of my cat. Has that attitude going but Elvis stil...more
David
David rated it 4 of 5 stars
This is a solid outing by Robert Crais, as Elvis Cole and Joe Pike hit the streets once again to bring about justice and truth. This is book number 6 in the series, and along with a new story, we get some new developments in Elvis' life. Lucy and her son, Ben, from "Voodoo River" are back in the picture, and love is in the air. They head out to visit L.A. as Elvis picks up a new case.

The book begins differently, written in the third person, and describing the investigati...more
Jerry
If we’ve had any complaint about Robert Crais’ Elvis Cole (with PI buddy Joe Pike) series, it’s that the stories tend to run a little inconsistent. The great part of “Sunset” is that all the best elements of the first five of these novels come together in almost perfect harmony. Cole always tends to be an easygoing, wise-cracking but plenty street smart enough detective, and those traits are on fine display herein – in fact, some of his funniest remarks are direct to us readers by way of menta...more
David
David rated it 3 of 5 stars
Shelves: completed
This is another decent Elvis Cole mystery. While it is full of the typical twists and turns.. this one was obvious to me from the beginning and I saw the red herrings for what they were. Still, one can almost see the L.A. sunset while reading Crais' very powerful prose. His characters have appropriate quirks, emotions, and problems.
However, I'm getting pretty used to the "big shootout at the end!" I mean, this would be pretty typical for a Louis L'Amour Western, but this one...more
Tom
Tom rated it 4 of 5 stars
Very, very awesome book. Crais's writing and style just continue to progress and impress. I love that Cole falls in love with Lucy, and you feel the authenticity of his feelings. I was afraid something was going to happen to Lucy, so I'm glad Crais didn't go down that route. Pike kicks ass as always. He's intriguing but you don't get much insight as to what's going on with him. And the whole idea of politics and money and justice is great. Loved it. Except for the last five pages. The s...more
Tim Warner
Excellent. This is the earliest in the Elvis Cole series which I have read. I loved it and it shows the basic foundation of the Elvis style and the Crais plotting which captured me in the later books with which I started. Now I need to continue backwards, because this is really a well-written, and plot gripping, tension - inducing read. This is a fine example of why I read this genre and why I am constantly looking for the best of the best in Crime/thriller fiction. Robert Crais is one of the b...more
Stephanie
Not really a one night stand, because I read more slowly
this time around, catching all the "flavor" of it...I love Elvis Cole. And I love Robert Crais. I thought his newest one was the best and now maybe I think this one? I need to go back and re-read the next one because this one leaves off w/Lucy's and Elvis's relationship in a certain stage and the latest one has another stage and I don't remember what went in between.

Anyway lots of good LA feeling, much better t...more
Ruth Niles
Robert Crais never fails to keep my attention. This is one of his earlier Elvis Cole and Joe Pike stories. The one thing that keeps the suspense in the Elvis Cole series is there isn't always a happy or just ending so while you're reading, you are never sure what is going to happen next.

While reading this book, I was listening to "Brass Verdict" by Michael Connelly (a Mickey Hallar/Harry Bosch series) and the two stories were so much alike (even the writing style) that...more
Kellie
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Christy
Wealthy entrepreneur Teddy Martin is accused of murdering his estranged wife, but Martin’s defense attorney, Jonathan Green, is alleging the arresting officer, Angela Rossi, planted evidence against his client. Green hires private investigator Elvis Cole to check into Rossi’s background concerning another case in which she was accused of planting evidence, as well as the present one. Cole’s investigation clears Rossi, yet Green announces to the media that Cole has cleared his client of the wrong...more
Jan
Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars
Another interesting situation for Elvis Cole. Cole is hired to find proof that Det. Angela Rossi tampered with evidence that points to a prominent restaurantuer murdered his wife the day before his girlfriend and son come to visit. Cole and his sidekick, Joe Pike, work their way thru a tangle of witnesses to finally determine that the law isn't about justice but an adversarial contest having little to do with right and/or wrong. The end will make you cheer!
Beverly
Not as good as the others in this series that I've read. The story is too slow and convoluted; it dissipates the suspense somewhat. Elvis investigates a murder for a famous defense lawyer on behalf of his client. The defense accuses a police detective of planting evidence to incriminate his innocent client. Elvis uncovers a lot of dirty dealings.
Stacey
Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars
I started reading Robert Crais this past summer on the recommendation of another reader. I enjoyed the first and started working my way through the series. As per his website, the author recommended starting with L.A.Requiem rather than the earlier ones. Now I am working my way from the beginning with Elvis Cole. What a great character!
Darcy
I love it when the case that Cole works on turns upside down. You could just tell right away that there was something that was off. I really liked Cole's reaction at the end, his righteous indignation was justified.

I was also happy to see Lucy was back. I am hoping that the choice she needs to make is the right one.

Can't wait for the next one.
Marleen
Another great Elvis Cole story! I like the evolution in Elvis's character. He's getting more appealing with each book. It's like reading about a good friend. And a good person Elvis GENUINELY IS. There's no doubt about that. I enjoy reading about his relationship with Lucy.
I very much enjoyed the ending of this story; how Elvis goes after Green! WOW! Way to go Elvis!!!
Sheila
Even though I really like all the Elvis Cole books, Sunset Express has so many things going on throughout that it at time seems to have a drag going on. Previously I'd read Free Fall which was a mover and a shaker.
Still, it's a good story and very well worth the read if you're a follower of the series or not.
Lola4
Lola4 rated it 4 of 5 stars
Love these guys. However, I don't enjoy the earlier books as much as the later ones--to me the series keeps getting better, and reading the newest books first spoiled me. I kind of like the less neatly-tied ending--that's reality in today's badly broken injustice system.
Lurple
Lurple rated it 3 of 5 stars
I'm an unabashed fan or Crais's Elvis Cole/Joe Pike novels. This isn't the best of the lot but it's still a fun read. Check out the series if you haven't and you have any interest in modern detective fiction; I've enjoyed pretty much every book in the series.
Steve
Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars
I am impressed with the writing of Robert Crais. This book continues with the development of Elvis Cole as a character and the supporting cast keeps expanding and getting more detailed. The series flows like real life with some characters getting more important and others still around but not so much in the center.
Joe O'c
Excellent; Continuing character: Elvis Cole; hired by a famous lawyer to try and prove a killer was framed by the police, Elvis finds evidence to the contrary and works to expose the truth while his girlfriend and her son visit from Louisiana.
Kathy Metcalf
Start from the beginning and introduce yourself the Elvis Cole and his best friend Joe Pike. If you enjoy the outlaw detective, with humor and wit, you will not stop reading until you are waiting for the next one. I am!!
Cathy
Cathy rated it 4 of 5 stars
Shelves: 2005-books
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Ben
Ben rated it 3 of 5 stars
Shelves: fiction
Another good, though not great Elvis Cole novel. It's certainly an enjoyable page turner, with pretty much all I've come to expect from this series. However, I found the plot a little thin, and Elvis's relationship stuff taking up a bit too much time.
Ogross
Ogross rated it 3 of 5 stars
Not my favorite Crais book. I was a bit bored. But maybe it's just because as much as I like Elvis Cole, I really have a thing for Joe Pike and he wasn't in this much.
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Sunset Express (Elvis Cole, #6)
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Sunset Express (Elvis Cole, #6)
Sunset Express (Elvis Cole, #6)
Sunset Express (Analog Audio Cassette)

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Robert Crais is the author of the best-selling Elvis Cole novels. A native of Louisiana, he grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River in a blue collar family of oil refinery workers and police officers. He purchased a secondhand paperback of Raymond Chandler’s The Little Sister when he was fifteen, which inspired his lifelong love of writing, Los Angeles, and the literature of crime fiction...more
More about Robert Crais...
The Watchman (Joe Pike, #1) The Monkey's Raincoat: An Elvis Cole Novel L. A. Requiem (Elvis Cole, #8) The Last Detective (Elvis Cole, #9) The First Rule (Joe Pike, #2)

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