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Lullaby Town

Book 3 in the series:Elvis Cole & Joe Pike

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Elvis Cole, a private investigator, is hired by a Hollywood director to locate his ex-wife and son who he left years ago. However, the case becomes complicated as it is revealed that the ex-wife is involved in criminal activities, leading to a dangerous situation involving the Mafia. With the help of his partner Joe Pike, Elvis navigates through a fast-paced and action-packed journey to extricate the ex-wife and son from the mess they are in, all while dealing with the overbearing Hollywood director and the threats posed by organized crime.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, featuring a wisecracking detective and a tough partner, showcasing varying dimensions and conflicts.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is characterized by sharp dialogue, humor, and detailed descriptions that engage the reader.

Plot/Storyline:

The story features a Hollywood director's search for his estranged wife and child, revealing complexities such as mob involvement and a surprising climax.

Setting:

The narrative shifts between sunny Los Angeles and a colder, rural Connecticut, enhancing the story's mood.

Pacing:

The pacing is generally fast, balanced with moments of character development, though some find inconsistencies in flow.

Notes:

Lullaby Town is the third book in the Elvis Cole series by Robert Crais.
The story revolves around Elvis Cole, a private investigator, hired by Hollywood director Peter Alan Nelsen to find his ex-wife and child.
This book breaks the formula of the first two novels by changing the setting from a mansion to an open field and a small airport.
Elvis Cole gets wounded in this book, unlike the previous books where Joe Pike was the one who got hurt.
Joe Pike starts to develop as a more complex character in this installment.
Lullaby Town was published in 1992 and was nominated for both the Anthony Award and the Shamus Award.
The main female character, Karen Shipley, is revealed to be involved in money laundering for the mob.
The novel consists of fast-paced action and sharp dialogue, characteristics typical of Crais's writing style.
A false climax occurs about 30 pages before the end of the book, surprising readers with additional conflict.
The book includes car chases and intense encounters with gangsters.
This was Crais's attempt to incorporate the film industry context into the narrative.
The novel reflects a pre-cell phone era, with characters using payphones for communication.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains themes of violence, mob-related crime, and psychological tension, making it advisable for readers who prefer content warnings.

From The Publisher:

"Quick, cutting wit . . . a keen ear."-The New York Times Book Review

Hollywood's newest wunderkind is Peter Alan Nelsen, the brilliant, erratic director known as the King of Adventure.

His films make billions, but his manners make enemies. What the boy king wants, he gets, and what Nelsen wants is for Elvis to comb the country for the wife and infant child the film-school flunkout dumped en route to becoming the third-biggest filmmaker in America. It's the kind of case Cole can handle in his sleep-until it turns out to be a nightmare. For when Cole finds Nelsen's ex-wife in a small Connecticut town, she's nothing like he expects. She has some unwanted-and very nasty-mob connections, which means Elvis could be opening an East Coast branch of his P.I. office…at the bottom of the Hudson River.

"Elvis [Cole] is the greatest . . . [ he is] perhaps the best detective to come along since Travis McGee."-San Diego Tribune

"[Crais is] far better at the private-eye-novel racket than most writers."-Newsweek

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About the Author:

Robert Crais is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty novels, sixteen of them featuring private investigator Elvis Cole and his laconic ex-cop partner, Joe Pike. Before writing his first novel, Crais spent several years writing scripts for such…

 
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