Media and Culture

(This is Robert Crais' first attempt at a novel, way back in 1992, and you can see the beginnings of a very entertaining author who goes on to continue the Elvis Cole series as well as publishing stand-alone novels. This first book is definately a little rough around the edges, as compared to his later writings, but he certainly was on his way and worth another chance at a second novel in the series.) When quiet Ellen Lang enters Elvis Cole's Disney-Deco office, she's lost something very valuable - her husband and her young son. The case seems simple enough, but Elvis isn't thrilled. Neither is his enigmatic partner and firepower Joe Pike. Elvis Cole--the sensitive and wisecracking collector of Disneyana--and his heavy-artillery partner, Joe Pike, traipse through the seamier streets of Los Angeles, infiltrate high-society Hollywood, and cross the line with the Latino drug trade in search of an errant husband and a missing boy. The adventure and the characters of this novel are exciting and totally satisfying. Their search down the seamy side of Hollywood's studio lots and sculptured lawns soon leads them deep into a nasty netherworld of drugs and sex - and murder. Now the case is getting interesting, but it's also turned ugly. Because everybody, from cops to starlets to crooks, has declared war on Ellen and Elvis.

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Troubleshooter (U.S. Marshal Tim Rackley Series #3)

nobody@vox.com(Strive2Be) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:21:12 -0700

(Although the story is written in excellent form, I found this particular novel to be more violent then the first two in the Tim Rackley series, as well as the other stand-alone novels he has written. Other than that, I'm waiting for #4 in the series because the recurring characters are written so well). U.S. Marshal Tim Rackley, nicknamed "Troubleshooter" because he's usually in trouble and he shoots a lot of people, is back on the job after breaking up a mind-control cult in his second Hurwitz outing, The Program. Biker gang the Laughing Sinners kills a couple of Rackley's friends while busting them out of U.S. Marshal custody, then go on a rampage and massacre 37 of their rivals in preparation for a drug deal involving a powerful new form of liquid heroin called "Allah's Tears." Readers will feel a lurch of unease early on when informed that Rackley's deputy sheriff wife, Dray, is eight month's pregnant. Rackley is still suffering from the loss (in The Kill Clause) of his daughter, Ginny, so when Dray tangles with the gang he comes close to losing it and screwing up the case. Hurwitz is a rock-solid writer, researcher and plotter, and readers will find him in top form putting Rackley through his procedural paces as he slowly closes in on and shuts down the spectacularly evil Laughing Sinners.

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Hiroshima mon amour

nobody@vox.com(The Dude) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:34:55 -0700

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L'Amant de la Chine du Nord

nobody@vox.com(The Dude) — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:20:25 -0700

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L'Ingénieux Hidalgo : Don Quichotte de la manche I

nobody@vox.com(The Dude) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:10:23 -0700

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