Character · Elvis Cole and Joe Pike · 20 books
Elvis Cole
Elvis Cole is a Los Angeles private investigator, a Vietnam veteran who jokes his way through danger and is far more serious than he lets on.
Spoiler-free profile written for The Recurring Cast.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Character facts
- First appearance
- The Monkey’s Raincoat (1987)
- Latest appearance
- The Big Empty (2025)
- Books
- 20 (16 as lead, 4 major)
- Series
- Elvis Cole, Joe Pike
- Author
- Robert Crais
- Circle
- Elvis Cole and Joe Pike
Where to meet Elvis Cole
Elvis Cole first appears in The Monkey’s Raincoat (1987), as the lead, book 1 of the Elvis Cole series.
Every book with Elvis Cole
In publication order, with the size of their role in each.
- 1987LThe Monkey’s Raincoatlead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 1989LStalking the Angellead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 1992LLullaby Townlead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 1993LFree Falllead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 1995LVoodoo Riverlead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 1996LSunset Expresslead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 1997LIndigo Slamlead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 1999LL.A. Requiemlead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 2003LThe Last Detectivelead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 2005LThe Forgotten Manlead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 2007MThe Watchmanmajor role · Joe PikeBuy
- 2008LChasing Darknesslead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 2010MThe First Rulemajor role · Joe PikeBuy
- 2011MThe Sentrymajor role · Joe PikeBuy
- 2012LTakenlead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 2015LThe Promiselead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 2017LThe Wantedlead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 2019MA Dangerous Manmajor role · Joe PikeBuy
- 2022LRacing the Lightlead · Elvis ColeBuy
- 2025LThe Big Emptylead · Elvis ColeBuy
Appears most often with
| Character | Books together |
|---|---|
| Joe PikeElvis’s silent partner, a former Marine and police officer | 20 |
| Lou PoitrasLAPD detective and Elvis’s friend | 16 |
| Lucy ChenierLouisiana lawyer and Elvis’s partner | 7 |
| Jon StoneMercenary and Pike’s friend | 5 |
| Ben ChenierLucy’s son | 3 |
| Carol StarkeyLAPD bomb squad detective, later homicide | 3 |