Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Lullaby Town
    Lullaby Town
    Lullaby Town
    Audiobook (abridged)5 hours

    Lullaby Town

    Written by Robert Crais

    Narrated by James Daniels

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “Quick, cutting wit . . . a keen ear.”—The New York Times Book Review

    Hollywood’s newest wunderkind is Peter Alan Nelsen, the brilliant, erratic director known as the King of Adventure.

    His films make billions, but his manners make enemies. What the boy king wants, he gets, and what Nelsen wants is for Elvis to comb the country for the wife and infant child the film-school flunkout dumped en route to becoming the third-biggest filmmaker in America. It’s the kind of case Cole can handle in his sleep—until it turns out to be a nightmare. For when Cole finds Nelsen’s ex-wife in a small Connecticut town, she’s nothing like he expects. She has some unwanted—and very nasty—mob connections, which means Elvis could be opening an East Coast branch of his P.I. office...at the bottom of the Hudson River.

    “Elvis [Cole] is the greatest . . . [ he is] perhaps the best detective to come along since Travis McGee.”—San Diego Tribune

    “[Crais is] far better at the private-eye-novel racket than most writers.”—Newsweek

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateMay 25, 2006
    ISBN9781423301271
    Lullaby Town
    Author

    Robert Crais

    Robert Crais is the author of the bestselling Cole & Pike novels. A native of Louisiana, Crais moved to Hollywood in the late 70s where he began a successful career in television, writing scripts for such major series as Cagney & Lacey, Miami Vice and Hill Street Blues. In the mid 80s, Crais created a series of crime novels based around the characters Cole & Pike. In addition, Crais has also written several bestselling standalone thrillers. Robert Crais lives in LA with his wife and family.

    More audiobooks from Robert Crais

    Related to Lullaby Town

    Titles in the series (25)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Suspense For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    Related categories

    Reviews for Lullaby Town

    4/5

    374 ratings21 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Synopsis/blurb.......
      Peter Alan Nelsen is a super successful movie director who is used to getting what he wants. And what he wants is to find the wife and infant child he dumped on the road to fame. It's the kind of case that Cole could handle in his sleep, except that when Cole actually finds Nelsen's ex wife, everything takes on nightmarish proportions a nightmare which involves Cole with a nasty New York mob family and a psychokiller who is the son of the godfather. When the unpredictable Nelsen charges in, an explosive situation blows sky high.
      This is the 3rd Elvis Cole book in the series. I read or possibly re-read the first 2 last month, memory being not quite what it used to be. The laid-back LA private investigator and his erstwhile side-kick Joe Pike team up again when hired to track down a Hollywood hotshot’s long divorced wife and son.
      Cole achieves this fairly effortlessly, but when threatened and beaten after confronting the ex-wife, digs deeper. Kathy, the ex and now a successful businesswoman and bank manager is being coerced by the mob to launder cash through her bank. Cole, always a sympathetic ear for a damsel in distress holds off from reporting back to his employer, endeavouring to try and extricate Kathy from Charlie DeLuca clutches first. The problem is DeLuca instead of being a reasonable businessman, albeit operating outside the law is also the psychopathic son of a crime lord.
      Cole’s efforts at negotiation prove ultimately fruitless and the saga unfolds with an ever-increasing number of criminal lowlifes, minor plot off-shoots and escalating violence.
      At about 230 pages long, and without taxing my brain too much, Lullaby Town was a quick, fast-paced enjoyable read. I’ll be trying to locate the 4th instalment buried somewhere in the depths of my disorganised attic library – Free Fall – to read next month.
      4 from 5
      Bought new probably 20-odd years ago (originally published in 1992) from who knows where.
    • 4/5
      In his third book featuring Elvis Cole, Crais is making some progress along two fronts. First, the conclusion departs from the formula established in his first two novels in this series. To recall, in books one (The Monkey's Raincoat) and two (Stalking the Angel) Cole and his partner Joe Pike must find a way into a mansion where the bad guys are holed up with a hostage they are trying to rescue. The bad guys are protected by layers of body guards. Pike is wounded during the assault and Cole, while also wounded, pushes through to a successful conclusion. Lullaby Town, while still featuring a shoot-out against sizeable odds, varies this formula in several ways. There is no mansion; It is replaced by a rural field followed by a small rural airport. There are seven body guards plus the primary antagonist instead of the legions in the first two novels, and it is Elvis Cole who is wounded—although only because he intentionally exposed himself to draw the antagonist's fire— and Joe Pike administers the coup de grace.Second, Crais takes baby steps in the direction of establishing Joe Pike as a multi-dimensional character. There's not a lot of detail to report here, but we do learn a tiny bit more about Joe.Although the first three novels in this series are all well worth reading, I enjoyed Lullaby Town a bit more than the first two novels. I found the most annoying feature of this book to be the use of a false climax. It appears that Cole has successfully resolved the situation some 30 pages before the end of the book. I was wondering how the conflict could have been resolved so early in the book when Crais throws the reader a curveball that necessitates a second and final resolution. I was busy, not prepared for the surprise turn of events, and not particularly interested in reading yet another resolution so I actually put the book down for a day or two before picking it up to read through to the end. Nevertheless, I did find the final climax to be interesting. Perhaps your reaction will be different.
    • 4/5
      Elvis Cole is out to locate the ex-wife of Hollywood director Peter Alan Nelsen. When he does find her he discovers she has other more pressing problems before she can consider a meeting between her, her son and Nelsen. Pike steps in to lend a hand and it becomes a roller coaster ride to the finish. Fast-paced and enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      This one was a little more complex than the first 3 books in the series, and it doesn’t take place in California.
      The series is still entertaining and well written.
    • 5/5
      I find it funny how quickly we become accustomed to how the reality of the little things are in whatever period of time we live in. My husband is still laughing at the question I voiced more than once while reading this book. This novel was written in 1992. I found myself wondering and commenting on why Elvis Cole didn't "just call and let people know what kind of trouble was headed their way"? My chuckling husband reminded me that the cell phone mania didn't even exist during this period, so all Cole's detective work had to be done the good "old fashioned" way...standing outside in the weather feeding quarters into a big chunky black, pay phone. In spite of the lack of a devise that wouldn't become attached to our hands until a good 10 or so years in Elvis Cole's future, this showcased the really hard work by this hard-boiled private detective with a heart of pure gold. In this case there was two of them, Elvis and his friend, Joe Pike, who found themselves stepping over bodies and taking on the New York mob. What actually makes this story good is the dialogue...the not too complicated story line...the believable characters, and the occasional, even if predictable, outcome. A lot of people are murdered. Don't even try to keep up with that. The New York Mafia characters, while full of stereotyped speech and mannerisms, still manage to capture your interest. It's been quiet sometime since I read an Elvis Cole book, so I had forgotten how much I loved the smart-a** answers often delivered by Cole. They somewhat reminded me of the John Cory character in Nelson de Mille's books. It was great visiting with Elvis and Joe again.
    • 4/5
      This series is always good.
    • 4/5
      Once again, Elvis Cole and Joe Pike score a win! The combination of intellect, humor, toughness and compassion make for great detective characters. This time around, the search for a mother and child, initiated by a fatuous Hollywood movie mogul, turns into much more. Excellent read!
    • 3/5
      Lullaby Town, a dark drive down somerockspotted track. We are silent. Killers.With gloves from the farmer’s wife we trudgeto a cold outbuilding, strip-lit and grey.Machines and men turn in the shed next door.Protests and filthy jokes from the doomed birds.A lesson from the farmer. The upturned turkeytwo days from celebration, yawning redfrom the pause of his last interrupted sentence.The floor darkening and the farmer’s instructionslost in our comprehension of Christmas lunch.With one smooth rip the bird is stripped to cook.The room spins with sudden birds, headless andwarm against our rubber hands. We stamp ourfeet in hope of circulation, kicking crimsonfeathers in some pillow fight between our knees.The sun not yet risen over the morning hill.Our tea drunk quietly. Our lunch quieter still.
    • 4/5
      People who read my reviews will know that I'm not a fan of literary fiction. Elmore Leonard has a list of rules on writing, one of those rules is to leave out the parts that people skip. Literary fiction is loaded with those parts you want to skip. Robert Crais must be a fan of Leonard as well.

      The last book I started to read was a literary fiction author trying to write a crime thriller. Lullaby Town is Robert's example of why literary fiction authors can't make the switch to genre fiction.

      Elvis and Pike are back, this time sorting out what should have been a simple family reunion, but ends up with the New York mafia wanting them dead. My only regret with finishing this novel is that my pile of Crais books have now been read and I have to buy the rest before reading more.
    • 4/5
      An over-the-top Hollywood director hires Cole to look for his ex-wife and son. It turns out there was a reason she was his ex-wife. The wife is involved in something else and Cole gets involved in trying to extricate her from the mess.
      Entertaining, except for the over-drawn husband.
    • 4/5
      Audiobook: Cole is hired by an arrogant and self-absorbed Hollywood director to find his estranged wife and son, now gone for more than 10 years. He just wants to connect with his son. Finding the woman is easy enough, but Cole learns she is now the VP of a small-town bank who is being used by some Boston mob bosses to launder money. Now, I think Cole screwed up by trying to fix things in his macho way. A quick call to the FBI (despite her reluctance to enter witness protection) might have solved things since she had evidence of all sorts of wrong-doing. Cole risked messing up her life and that of her kid. She wanted nothing to do with Peter, the Hollywood bigshot, and to my way of thinking should have had nothing to do with Cole either.All that aside, at least Cole uses his brain to figure a way out for her by pitting one member of the “family” against another. The spate of violence at the end is really not their doing. It was also refreshing that neither Cole nor Pike found it necessary to jump in Karen's bed.Satisfactory, although Pike starts to grate after a while.
    • 3/5
      Elvis Cole is approached by famous film director, Peter Alan Nelsen, to find his ex-wife and son whom he has not seen in 12 years. Elvis quickly locates then in Connecticut but when he approaches Karen, the Ex, she denies she is the Ex. Curious, Elvis follows her and notes she fears the man whom she meets and from whom she accepts a package. Eventually Elvis finds out she is being forced to launder money for the Mafia.She accepts Elvis's help to get her out of trouble without involving the police thus avoiding the witness protection program and a major disruption of her life.Meanwhile, her self-centered husband gets involved and screws things up leading to a couple of shootouts. Cole & his partner, Joe Pike, save the day and restore Karen to the life she had made for herself & son before the Mafia got hold of her.Great read with lots of humour from Elvis's snappy retorts.
    • 4/5
      Elvis Cole is your modern day(ish) equivalent to Philip Marlowe with the exception of having Joe Pike, his partner, to call on in case of emergencies. In this, his third outing, Elvis will once again need Joe's help as a case of a missing person escalates into confrontation with the Mafia. Peter Alan Nelsen, current bigshot direct du jour, hires Elvis to find the ex-wife and son he left 10 years ago and hasn't seen or heard from since. Despite a distinct lack of information at the outset, it's not long before Elvis finds out where they are and flies off to New York to go say hello. That's when the trouble really starts.Another fast-paced action thriller told in small chapters which are used to build tension to good effect. Cole is an easy to like detective of the wise-cracking variety and his taciturn partner almost manages to crack a smile this time around. I doubt I could read too many of these in a row but good to visit with every now and again.
    • 5/5
      My first experience with this author. I enjoyed the book more than I expected; the main character doesn't take himself too seriously and the supporting characters are well developed. It's more than fluff, but not so heavy (and depressing)as many mystery/action novels that are out there.

      There is some violence, though except for one scene it is not over-described.

      One small grumble: I don't quite understand the author's choosing to have the main female character hiss - not just once, but multiple times, usually when she was frustrated or irritated. Is the author a cat person? I'm female. I don't recall having hissed at all in at least the last 6 months. This female is like a leaky air mattress.

      With respect to the audio format, each of the 5 cd's had about 85 tracks. One track every 45 seconds or so. That's great when I needed to jump back to hear what a character just said, but a real PITA if I need to stop the cd and then re-find where I was (usually about track 65). That's a lot of >> button pushing.
    • 5/5
      The third book in the Elvis Cole series continues the improvement seen in the second book. The wisecracks are less intrusive and on occasion are actually quite funny while the bad guys possess just enough malice and threat to keep the story poised on edge just in case one of the good guys buys the farm. One of those books that when you're reaching the conclusion and you're feeling tired at 1 in the moring you have to decide whether to persevere and see it through to its conclusion or hold off so that you actually savour the ending - I chose the latter. Recommended.
    • 3/5
      I love Crais' books and have read the other two Cole books in the series but I have to say that this one kinda dragged. Didn't hold me like the others did - hope the rest of the series is better.Back Cover Blurb:Peter Alan Nelsen is a brilliant but erratic director who's been crowned Hollywood's King of Adventure. His films make billions, but his manners make enemies. Surrounded by yes-men and a gorgeous bodyguard named Dani, no one says no to Peter Alan Nelsen - except Elvis Cole.Nelsen wants to find the wife and child he dumped en route to becoming the third most powerful filmmaker in America. It's the kind of case Cole can handle in his sleep - until it turns out to be a nightmare. For Nelsen's ex-wife is nothing like Cole expected. And she has a dark, threatening secret....
    • 4/5
      Private Investigator, Elvis Cole, takes on a case to locate an ex-wife and son of a famous filmmaker. It takes him from his hometown of Los Angeles to Connecticut, where he quickly locates them. Major problems arise due to the ex-wife's profession, causing Cole to call in his partner, Joe Pike, for assistance.Filling in the missing books of the Elvis Cole series brings me to #3. I enjoyed this one more so than #2. The quips were delivered with good timing and made me giggle. I could have done without a portion of the story line, because I'm simply just tired of that scenario, but it worked. Hopefully, #4 (providing I didn't read that one) will continue the series on the upswing. (3.75/5)Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..."
    • 4/5
      3rd book in the Elvis Cole series - another nice fast read, however, Elvis is far funnier when he is at home in LA, I guess the cold east coast just takes the humour right out of people
    • 3/5
      Another Elvis Cole novel from Robert Crais; this one begins with Elvis being hired by a Peter Nelsen, sphincterish Hollywood mogul, to track down the young woman whom he had married and left, along with their son. Elvis finds her surprisingly easily, so there's obviously some complication coming. It turns out she's gained a responsible position in a Connecticut bank by laundering money for a New York crime family.Elvis, and his loquacious partner Joe Pike, must try to extricate Karen from the mob before she can deal with Peter. The usual sorts of Elvis Cole shenanigans ensue, including smart-ass wit, clever deductions, and lots of gunfire. A quick and easy read that doesn't require much of a contribution from the reader.
    • 4/5
      Good book. Fun and fast.
    • 3/5
      Bundled with Stalking the Angel and Monkey's Raincoat It becomes repetitive after a while and while it's not a bad read but a bit predictable.