The Watchman
"Once again Crais produces a thrilling nail-biter of a novel that demands to be read in one hit."
Synopsis:
Joe Pike owes a bad man a big favour - and now is wants to collect. Pike is asked to protect the life of Larkin Conner Barkley, a spoiled rich girl who happens to be the only witness to the re-appearance of a deadly mob boss. When Pike and the girl come under intense fire and he realises that he can't trust anyone, he hatches a plan to disappear into the anonymous underbelly of Los Angeles, turn the tables, and hunt down the hunters.
Enlisting the help of Elvis Cole, Pike quickly uncovers a web of lies and betrayals - even the cops aren't who they seem. As the body count rises it soon becomes clear that Joe must fight on two separate fronts because Larkin is a tortured soul who seems bent on destroying herself and taking him with her. Gradually Joe starts to realise that perhaps they aren't so different after all…
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Review:
Once again Crais produces a thrilling nail-biter of a novel that demands to be read in one hit. Pike has both depth and intelligence without being the stereotypical hero. He is also fighting his own demons and it would be good to see him overcome these in future books. Crais is able to engage his reader with an easy style of writing, interesting characters and riveting plots. One slight quibble… John Chen and his continual fascination with women was, to my mind, unexplained and a little over-played. However, if this character appears in further books, it may become relevant later. This looks set to be another well-deserved bestseller for Crais.