Demolition Angel

Rating:
Summary: White hot and explosive!
Review: At first, I was somewhat disheartened to learn that this would not be an Elvis Cole novel. One the one hand I was looking forward to something different from Crais because he is a fantastic author, but on the other hand I need my Elvis fix! But I can now say that after reading Demolition Angel I have forgotten about Elvis (temporarily, of course).

Demolition Angel is much darker and edgier than the Elvis Cole novels. The main character, Carol Starkey, is on a path to self destruction. Bitter, alienated, and self-abusive since the bomb blast death of her partner, she must regain control of her life or be destroyed herself. While struggling with her personal demons, she must catch the killer who is targeting bomb squad technicians in a series of explosions. Is Mr. Red the mad bomber or is it someone else?

Non-stop action, intense suspense, and plenty of twists along the way lead to an explosive climax. An intelligent, multi-dimensional thriller, Demolition Angel will keep your heart racing and keep you on the edge as you race through the pages. Crais at his best matches up with anyone else. Period.

Rating:
Summary: A Highly Explosive Thriller!
Review: Demolition Angel is very well written and will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout most of this dark thriller. As to the plot, Crais demonstrates his ability to introduce bombshell after bombshell that, at least figuratively, will "blow you away." Crais also creates very strong, credible and interesting characters. Carol Starkey, the main character, while not always very likable, is one of the more powerful and multi-dimensional female protagonists I've come across in quite some time. In many ways she reminds me of Clarice Starling. Further, I guarantee you won't be able to forget "Mr. Red." While I rated Demolition Angel 4 stars, I would have liked to be able to give it 4 1/2 stars. It just falls short of a 5-star rating, due to its dragging very slightly in some sections. Demolition Angel is one of the better thrillers I've read in at least the past six months, and is one I'd definitely recommend that you include near the top of your reading list. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: This Book Won't Have You Seeing "Red"
Review: Taking a break from his successful Elvis Cole mystery series, Robert Crais has come out with this amazing novel. DEMOLITION ANGEL is a fast-paced, non-stop thriller that you will not be able to put down.

Carol Starkey, once Los Angeles' best "bomb squad" technician, is now struggling as a detective in the Criminal Conspiracy Section in the LAPD. It has been three years since she was pronounced dead at the scene of bomb detonation, and she is suffering through alcoholism and a Tagamet addiction. Starkey is called to the scene to investigate an explosion that has killed an officer, and she is in for the ride of her life, trying to catch one of the country's biggest terrorists.

Crais does an awesome job of piling on plot twist after plot twist. The book flies by and you can't help but get caught up in this amazing, yet totaly believable storyline. Crais brings together a super group of interestingly diverse characters and meshes them together incredibly well.

This is a well-written book that thrills the reader with suspense, intrigue, and "fireworks." You will not be able to put this book down.

Rating:
Summary: Rough around the edges.
Review: Three years after the blast that killed her partner and lover and left her physically and emotionally scarred, Carol is assigned as lead investigator in a bomb explosion that had killed yet another officer, Charles Riggio. When a federal agent shows up asking questions, Carol is convinced that the case is going to be taken away from her. This makes Carol even angrier, and spurs her to continue her investigation no matter what. Demolition Angel is fast-paced, always moving, and always someting happening. There seems to be no down time at all during this book. It was a little unrealistic in the sense that Carol lives on gin, cigarettes, and tagamet - I think throughout the whole book she actually only ate maybe two or three times, but the characters are believable. I hope Robert Crais decides to continue using Carol Starkey as another series.

Rating:
Summary: Demolition Angel
Review: Three years ago Carol Starkey, a top-notch bomb squad technician came back from the dead. Her partner and lover
died. Since then she has been burying her survivor's guilt with alcohol and Tagamet. While assigned to LAPD's Criminal
Conspiracy section, Carols lands a case in which a seemingly easy bomb to diffuse kills another technician. She soon finds
herself investigating a series of bombings in which the bombs were deliberately designed to kill the technicians.

Robert Crais has written a fast pace novel with twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages until you are done. He
has successfully created a complex multi-dimensional wounded character in Carol Starkey while at the same time immersing
you in the authentic world of bomb making and the dangerous world of the bomb technicians.

This is the first book I have read by Robert Crais and I now have a new author to add to my To Be Found (TBF) and To
Be Read (TBR) piles. I highly recommend this book. Review by: Lillian Porter

Rating:
Summary: could have been better
Review: Unfortunately, Elvis Cole is not in this novel. Instead we get a new character-former demolition expect and cop, who was so traumatized by the explosion three years ago that she can't exist without booze and pills. Give me a break. He goes on about this woman like she is some tough chick. R. Crais must have led a pretty sheltered life. Story itself is not bad if you don't pay attention to the struggles of the main character and don't count the number of pills she is popping.