Product Description

A long time ago, Joe Pike asked for help. In return, he would, one day, be called upon to return the favour, no questions asked. That day has come. Joe Pike is asked to protect the life of Larkin Conner Barkley, a spoiled rich girl who happens to be a federal witness in a major case. But someone is leaking information about their whereabouts, and the killers are getting all too close. So Pike he hatches a plan: disappear into the anonymous underbelly of Los Angeles, turn the tables, and hunt down the hunters. Enlisting the help of Elvis Cole, Pike uncovers a web of lies and betrayals; even the cops aren't who they seem. But as the body count rises, it becomes clear that Pike's biggest threat may be the girl herself - an edgy, yet intensely vulnerable soul determined to destroy herself, unless Joe can fill the void in her bruised heart.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4325 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Amazon.co.uk
In Robert Crais’ The Watchman, we have the author firing on all cylinders – and Crais aficionados will know that’s an experience to savour. It’s one of the tough long-term Crais protagonists, Joe Pike, who sets the edgy narrative in motion here, and the narrative barely pauses for breath once one of Crais most high adrenaline novels is in motion. Joe has been asked to look after a young female witness in a case involving a very dangerous gangster. The witness, Larkin Conner Barkely, couldn’t be more different from the close-mouthed Joe: she's rich, wilful and very much used to getting her own way. The uneasy alliance between the two is not much helped when some very violent men start breathing down their necks. Joe realises that he has to drag a reluctant Larkin from her privileged background and hide her from view in the more downmarket areas of L.A., while at the same time bloodily taking the battle to the enemy.

All of this is handled with the aplomb that we expect from the ever-reliable Crais, and admirers of the author will be pleased to hear that Joe Pike calls upon his partner Elvis Cole to help them stay alive and track down those wanting to eliminate Joe’s wealthy charge. Crais calls upon some classic elements of the L.A. detective story here (corrupt cops are a feature of such novels all the way back to Philip Marlowe), but there's no sense of clichés being warmed over. Rather, this is a satisfying juggling of comfortable elements, with the mix shaken up by some new and surprising ones -- such as the fact that the girl Pike and Cole are trying to protect seems to have a pronounced death wish -- a death wish that looks set to take down her protectors along with her. Crais fans can safely start reaching for their credit cards. --Barry Forshaw

Waterstones Books Quarterly
"a gripping novel from one of the modern masters of thriller fiction"

Review
"a gripping novel from one of the modern masters of thriller fiction" (Waterstones Books Quarterly )

Customer Reviews

Strong , Silent and Deadly Pike
First let me say I have read all Robert Crais books and he is probably my favourite author. This is another very enjoyable book both for Crais fans and for newcomers to Crais work.

Strong and silent Pike takes the lead in this novel as a watchman for a pretty rich girl who is being tracked by people trying to kill her.

As the story unfolds Pike gets help from his partner Elvis Cole as the pace hots up to a very exciting finale.

But this is the first Crais book I have given only 4 stars too, as it loses points for its too complex plot, in terms of why the girl is being hunted and in the lack of humour normally associated with Crais novels.

Its a below average Crais novel, but still much better than most authors and well worth the read.

The Watchman by Robert Crais
This is the first Robert Crais book I've read and it captured my attention immediately. The Watchman is an action-packed thriller that's difficult to put down.

The story revolves around Joe Pike protecting a federal witness, Larkin Barkley as a favour for Jon Stone who provides "security" personnel. Larkin is the spoilt, feisty daughter of billionaire Conner Barkley and there have already been two attempts on her life - what started out as a simple car accident has turned into a nightmare. Larkin is determined to make things difficult for Joe until she realises that he is the only one that can protect her from the men who have been sent to hunt her. Joe knows the only way to protect Larkin is to become the hunter and uses all his skills and resources to do so. In the process they unravel the truth behind the attempts on Larkin's life.

It's hard to imagine that a tense and fast paced story could revolve round Joe Pike's character - he is a man who never smiles and never says more than four words. As the story unfolds we learn about Joe's background and what has made him the honourable, strong and self-reliant man that he is. To begin with you can't imagine Larkin and Joe having anything in common, but as we discover more about their childhoods you can clearly see the undemanding and selfless love they have for their respective fathers, even when that love is not returned.

The Watchman is written in a punchy fashion that keeps the adrenalin of the reader pumping. It's also refreshing to read a book that's part of a series where the characters can be understood without having to read long narrative passages or previous books. I would definitely read another Robert Crais novel.

Crais back at his best
Definitely Crais' best novel since HOSTAGE, maybe even his best since the classic LA REQUIEM. Like REQUIEM Joe Pike is slam-bang centre-stage (indeed this is the first book billed as 'a Joe Pike Novel'), with Elvis Cole sidelined (where his trademark snappy one-liners are less irritating), and the book is all the better for it. There are only two flaws with this near-perfect thriller: One, it is on the short side (292 pages); and secondly and more importantly Crais doesn't seem to be aware that Pike and Cole as Vietnam vets the pair must be in the their mid-to-late 50s, but they show no signs of the passing years, and the putative romance between Pike and his youthful (20s) charge is more than a little unconvincing especially given Pike's age, background and essential character. Crais should look to James Lee Burke's Robicheaux novels, where Dave and Clete, both vets, accrue the years and age takes it's inevitable toll.

That all said this is a near faultless cocktail of deadpan characterisation and thrilling action. Dark, relentless and utterly gripping this is Crais back near his unmatched best.