Preview
  • The Monkey's Raincoat

  • An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel, Book 1
  • By: Robert Crais
  • Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
  • Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
  • 3.8 out of 5 stars (1,873 ratings)

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The Monkey's Raincoat

By: Robert Crais
Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
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Publisher's summary

"Elvis Cole provides more fun for the reader than any L.A. private eye to come along in years."--Joseph Wambaugh

WINNER OF THE ANTHONY AND MACAVITY AWARDS FOR BEST NOVEL • NOMINATED FOR THE EDGAR AND SHAMUS AWARDS FOR BEST NOVEL

Meet Elvis Cole, L.A. private eye....

He quotes Jiminy Cricket and carries a .38. He's a literate, wisecracking Vietnam vet who is determined never to grow up.

Praise for The Monkey's Raincoat

"Outstanding characters, tight plot, and scintillating prose style.... This fast-paced story speeds Elvis Cole to a chilling, heart-stopping ending."--Mystery Scene

"Is Bob Crais good? Put it this way: if they're taking you out to put you against the firing squad wall, and you want to enjoy your last moments on earth, pass on the last cigarette and ask for an Elvis Cole novel."--Harlan Ellison

"Far and away the most satisfying private eye novel in years. Grab this one - it's a winner!"--Lawrence Block

"The best private eye novel of the year...lots of action; bright, crisp dialogue; and sharply drawn characters."--The Denver Post

"Robert B. Parker has some competition on his hands.... Elvis Cole is an appealing character and Crais's style is fresh and funny.--Sue Grafton

"In Crais, a new star has appeared on the private eye scene - a dazzling first novel.--Tony Hillerman

©2008 Robert Crais (P)2008 Brilliance Audio
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Critic reviews

"Robert B. Parker has some competition on his hands.... Elvis Cole is an appealing character and Crais' style is fresh and funny."--Sue Grafton

"Is Bob Crais good? Put it this way: if they're taking you out to put you against the firing squad wall, and you want to enjoy your last moments on earth, pass on the last cigarette and ask for an Elvis Cole novel."--Harlan Ellison

What listeners say about The Monkey's Raincoat

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    673
  • 4 Stars
    550
  • 3 Stars
    379
  • 2 Stars
    147
  • 1 Stars
    124
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    544
  • 4 Stars
    398
  • 3 Stars
    249
  • 2 Stars
    113
  • 1 Stars
    137
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    616
  • 4 Stars
    386
  • 3 Stars
    265
  • 2 Stars
    87
  • 1 Stars
    69

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Abysmal recording quality

The enhanced recording frankly sounds like a poor attempt to resurrect an old, stretched cassette tape pulled out of the mud and run through the dishwasher a couple of times. The narrator is of commensurate (lack of) quality. Disappointing enough to prompt this "review."

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26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Narrator

Great book, terrible narration! I wish Audible would re-record the first two books of the series.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Later books were much better!

Read this books many years ago, but first listen. Voice was not the Elvis of later audibles which were much better. Overall looking back Crais did a much better job with the later books in this series. Lots of filler in this book, could of easily left out a third of the dialog and not done any harm.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Curse of the Teenage Narrator

This was the worst narrator I’ve heard on an Audiobook. Is anyone screening offerings? This should not have made it to the list.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What a card!! Crais's humor, hillarious!!

in a sea of detective and crime books Crais is funny. funny, funny breath of LA air.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Narrator is not suitable for character

Unfortunately because I listened to L.A. Requiem, before purchasing this book my expectations were that the narrator would portray the kind of "tough guy" persona that we expect from a "private eye". This narrator is too gentle with a sing,sing voice that has become so irritating that after only a few chapters into the book, I cannot contimue on with listening to it. I don't understand why they change narrators with series books. Don't they understand that the narrator becomes the character. Audible should have a refund policy for these types of circumstances.

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41 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story

This was a good start to the Elvis Cole/ Joe Pike series. I've read the books. I was rather disappointed in the narration. The book is still worth listening to though.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Waiting for the next Dresden Files and found this

I was desperate for another good series. Would have never picked this one because of the Title and I prefer Urban Fantasy, but a friend recommended it and I took a chance. By the way the title is explained. Great book. Great Series. If you like talented writing, smart characters, believable plot, and a protagonist that can get hurt but mostly kicks A**. This is the book. No doubt.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story

entertaining who done it. wtitten with a lot of fun humor. great characters. looking forward to more.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

The Young Elvis

Where does The Monkey's Raincoat rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book ranks among the better books I've read in this genre. I inhale these crime/legal/spy thrillers -- Connelly, Lehane, Rankin, Silva, Turow, LeCarre etc. And I include Crais in that group. I especially enjoy Crais because he writes about my city, Los Angeles. I thought I'd circle back and listen to the first book in the Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series. It's good, not spectacular. What I liked was getting the unvarnished Elvis (*Spoiler Alert* he actually has sex with two women) and more of the Pike backstory. More killing by our heroes than in the later books too. It reads fresh.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Parts of the ending are a little hard to believe.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Patrick G. Lawlor?

Almost anyone. Actually, the biggest downside of this audio book was the narrator and the poor sound quality. The narrator does a poor man's Joe Mantegna and I kept thinking maybe I was in the middle of a Robert Parker Spenser novel.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, although I did do the last 90 minutes in one sitting.

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