A new Robert Crais book is an occasion to read a master at work. His knowledge of the criminal element and the evil they do is second to none. Also he really does a good job in giving the hostages a presence in the story. The prisoner scenes and the horror there really increases the tension.

One of the more interesting elements of the novel is its non linear plot. The action is broken up into the point of view of various characters and some of the story is told from the point of view of some characters about events involving other characters that have not yet happened. So you know a little of the future ahead of time. I think Crais used this non linear approach to rachet up the tension and because a straight manhunt for the taken people would be too similar to some of his earlier Pike novels. I understand why Crais chose this approach, but I think it hurt the narrative flow.

Also Crais approaches the Pike character in different ways when the novel has Cole and Pike together than when Pike is the main character. This may be because Cole views Pike as more of a skilled hunter, but we do not get as much of the internal Pike characters as we do in a standalone Pike novel. Jon Stone, a character from prior Pike novels makes an appearance and does add more flavor.

Basically, Cole is hired to find Krista Morales, who with her boyfriend Jake Berman have been kidnapped. Krista's mother thinks the boyfriend is involved, but Cole quickly realizes that this is a real kidnapping by very bad people and calls in his friend Pike for help.

Cole and Pike soon discovers that the Syrian, a bandit who kidnaps illegal immigrants from the coyotes who are trying to get them into the USA and then ransoms them to their families, has taken Krista and Jack. This is a nightmare because when the poor immigrants families cannot pay, the prisoners are killed. At the same time that Krista and Jake are taken, a bunch of Korean immigrants are also taken including the grandson of a local Korean criminal organization. The Koreans want their people freed and want the grandson back.

Cole the detective gets on the track of the Syrian and midway makes a play with the Korean crime family help to try to fool the Syrian. Meanwhile, Krista, Jack and the grandson have to survive the attentions of the Syrian and his murderous thugs.

Ultimately, its up to Jon Stone and Pike to locate Cole, Krista and Jack, and Pike must use all of his unique skills to put himself in a position to rescue the hostages. The ATF, a bad real estate agent, a worried mother, a bunch of abused desperate prisoners, all are baked into the plot and add the necessary elements that keep the story moving along. Cole is also instrumental in the final battle.

Its a winner.