Yet more of my favourite characters, Authors and books.
Hi there, here's post three, two more Authors whose books I would buy without even reading the blurb. I hope these posts help you find a series you love.
SLXLM
Robert Crais was one of the first detective treasures I found. His Elvis Cole is just fantastic, easy going and resourceful, he’s also the main character in the series.
For me though Joe Pike is the main event, one of my all-time favourite characters, he’s quirky, stoic, loyal and has an understated power. And if that doesn’t get you the story of the red arrow tattoos will. Together Elvis and Joe are pure magic.
Joe, in my opinion doesn’t make nearly enough appearances, of course that might be an intentional ploy to amp up his appeal, curse your cleverness Robert Crais.
I love these, I buy them and give them to people, because I’m so sure they will love them too. All books are a gift but these are a sure fire gift for those tough people to buy for.
Elvis lives in the hills overlooking a canyon, he exercises on his deck, cooks and owns a cat like no other. There’s a Pinocchio clock and a Mickey Mouse phone in his office as well as a door to Joes office that goes nowhere. All that is balanced by the utilitarian Joe Pike. These books are so worth your time. As I said the ones with Joe Pike in them are particular favourites of mine, but not so long ago I read Robert Crais's "Suspect" with Scott James, veteran and his ex-military dog Maggie, if you like great characters this is another inspired pairing.
That brings me to Michael Connelly.
I bought Concrete Blonde and Black Echo, and they sat for a year before I actually read them. I read a couple of pages and wasn't getting it. That’s the trouble with having expectations. I’d found them when I was looking for a replacement for Elvis and Joe and expected them to be like that series, but they weren’t. Luckily I hate to waste books the same way people hate to waste food and so I read them anyway. As it turns out I'm grateful I did because if I'd passed them by, I would have missed so much.
Authors are like finger prints, unique perspectives, thank goodness because whilst they aren't the same as Elvis Cole books, Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch books are thoughtful and they have depth. Harry Bosch is a complex interesting character, slightly grittier with real issues that don’t just dissolve in a couple of pages.
Harry has reactions you don’t see coming, he has feelings, you know that, but if you think about it you aren’t sure how you know, and that’s because Michael Connelly is so very skillful a story teller.
I hear you can live a thousand lives through reading books. The life of Harry Bosch is a fine addition to anyone's thousand. I read them in order, you don’t have to but you’ll be glad you did.
Oh and don’t forget to read Bloodwork, you’ll love Terry McCaleb, he was an FBI agent until he needed a heart transplant and was forced into early retirement. He lives on a boat, so many possibilities.
Thanks for stopping in. Happy reading and writing.
M
