The Big Empty by Robert Crais

This 2026 Edgar Award winner for best novel features justice and mental health redemption for one of the characters. This is the twentieth Elvis Cole / Joe Pike mystery. It’s the first I’ve read since number one, which I remember enjoying. I also enjoyed this book.

Elvis Cole, a private investigator, is hired by a social influencer to find her father, who has been missing for nearly ten years. Cole is the second private investigator hired. The first was five years prior, but Traci’s father was not found.

There are serval twists and turns. One surprise comes about half-way. To me, it became clear who the current killer was about two-thirds into the book. During the investigation, people are murdered. And other people make it very clear they don’t want Cole looking into the disappearance. This book has many of the standard PI tropes.

Most of the book is first person from Cole’s point of view. The rest is various points of view, including Joe Pike, a point of view called Killer Car, and a couple others from minor characters. Cole is witty and sarcastic, so I enjoyed most of his banter. Pike has a small role in this book. He’s the big, silent sidekick, excuse me partner, that provides muscle.

The book is well written. There’s a good balance of humor with the dark story. Unfortunately, too much of it is reflective of today’s society, especially around the Traci, the influencer. There is a fair amount of profanity. No on page sex. The violence is not gratuitous. Crais does a nice job of portraying what this type of tragedy can do to the lives around the victim. I’ll rank this one number five of what I’ve read this year.

1. The Last Exchange by Charles Martin
2. Weapons of Remorse by Chevron Ross
3. Relentless by Ed Gorman
4. Framed by James Scott Bell
5. The Big Empty by Robert Crais
6. After Her Deceit by Steve Rush
7. Water Grave by Mitchell S. Karnes
8. The Book of Answers by Darrow Woods
9. My Brother’s New Wife by Matt McGregor
10. Deadly Silence by Erik Carter
11. Neon Prey by John Sandford
12. Perfect Daughter by Ion Esimai

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