Crais, Robert (1953-…), is an author of American detective stories. He is known for his series featuring Los Angeles private detective Elvis Cole and his partner, Joe Pike. The series has been praised for its sharp and wisecracking dialogue, its fast-paced action and suspense, and its vivid portrayal of the Los Angeles area.
Crais introduced Cole and Pike in The Monkey’s Raincoat (1987), which won several awards. Stalking the Angel followed in 1989. Crais established the series as one of the most popular and critically praised in detective fiction with more than a dozen additional Cole and Pike novels. Crais also wrote the nonseries mystery novels Demolition Angel (2000), Hostage (2001), and The Two Minute Rule (2006). He introduced Los Angeles Police Department bomb technician Carol Starkey in Demolition Angel. She became a recurring character in later Elvis Cole novels.
Crais was born on June 20, 1953, in Independence, Louisiana. He spent several years as an amateur filmmaker and short story writer in Louisiana. In 1976, Crais moved to Hollywood, where he became a successful television scriptwriter and producer. Crais left television to become a full-time novelist in the mid 1980’s.
