The Watchman by Robert Crais

 Joe Pike in love? Joe Pike stringing together more than three words?

    The man of the perpetual sunglasses and moving forward attitude comes alive in the best Crais novel this year. Pike has been a partner character in Crais’ Elvis Cole detective series where he has served as the hyper-intense specter who appears out of the mist when Cole’s wisecracking can no longer save him from trouble, and he needs both muscle and muzzle. His intensity was known, but this novel fully fleshes out the man Joe Pike.

    The usually silent Pike comes to life as The Watchman, contracted to protect a Paris Hilton-like debutante whose life spirals out of control when she and her Aston Martin are at the wrong place at the wrong time. Crashing into a car that appears to back out in front of her, Larkin Conner Barkley sets in motion an explosive series of events that leads to her being hunted by men with no identification but plenty of bullets. Joe is called in to protect her and he takes the job seriously, despite Larkin’s protestations. The mission always comes first in Joe’s world.

     As with all silent heroes, the biggest mistake that the pursuer can make is to make him angry. After a pair of safe houses are exposed and become shooting grounds, Pike suspects everyone and everything and begins the process of sorting truth from fiction. He enlists Cole to help him exam everyone involved with Larkin and their motives and, together, they peel back the layers to discover who is really behind the threat to Larkin’s life. Every page that is turned pushes Pike forward, following the tattoos on his biceps.

     The Watchman is a fantastic read sure to satisfy. Though Pike has been introduced to us in the Cole novels, spending time with him and his thoughts gives him new depth and dimension to his character. All of the personal background that we had prior to this book comes together now to paint a picture of a man of honor, compassion, and an intensity that burns off of the pages. His interaction with his fellow brigands in the gun shop alone will cause you to play and replay the dialog in your head just to hear the sound of his voice. Joe Pike is a character with a long career ahead of him.

Stay Groovy!