Robert Crais is one of my favorites. Over the years we have done over a dozen interviews. Only one other guest has done more; James Lee Burke. As this interview began I mentioned this fact to Bob and he suggested that he should hang up and call me right back. Then hang up again and call me back. He thought if he did that several more times that he could numerically surpass James Lee Burke and become the #1 guest in terms of appearances. Of course he was joking. By the way, we edited that part out. Sorry, Bob, I have interviewed James Lee Burke so many times that I don't think any author has a chance of catching him. Jim puts out a book every year. So do you, most of the time. Bob-you need to write faster! I'm kidding!
While Bob occasionally will write a stand-alone novel his bread and butter is a long running series which features the Los Angeles private investigator Elvis Cole and his sidekick Joe Pike. In some of the more recent books Pike has taken on a larger role and sometimes it can feel like Elvis has become Joe's sidekick. None of that matters though because each book delivers a high octane race between Cole, Pike, and whatever nefarious cast of villains Crais has assembled.
In this interview we looked back at the arc of the series and the pivotal book, "L.A. Requiem," which represents a huge shift in the way Crais was writing the series. I always have fun talking to Bob. He's one of the good guys.
The Book Nook on WYSO is presented by the Greene County Public Library with additional support from Washington-Centerville Public Library, Clark County Public Library, Dayton Metro Library, Wright Memorial Public Library, and Microsun Lamps.
