Demolition Angel: A Novel

Demolition Angel begins with the harrowing scene of a bomb squad member being blown to bits and never lets you go. Crais introduces a new character, Detective Carol Starkey, a former bomb squad technician who was almost killed three years ago in a similar bombing that killed her partner and lover. Left scarred both physically and emotionally and drinking to excess, Carol gets to work to find this serial bomber before he strikes again. What she begins to realize, as she investigates, is this terrorist is after bomb squad techs, and she is the one that got away. This is a fast paced, compelling story with strong, realistic characters. The writing is gritty and true to life. The scenes vivid and frightening. Mr. Crais has obviously done his homework on the bomb squad and bomb building techniques and this adds real credibility to the story. Demolition Angel will put you on the edge of your seat and keep you there to its very satisfying ending. A terrific, suspense-filled read that will pull you in and keep you turning pages all night long.

OK -- I'm another reviewer wishing this was an Elvis Cole book and immediately disliking Crais' female protagonist Carol Starkey right from the beginning. She's adversarial and has more demons of her own than she knows what to do with. Somewhere, midway through the book, she becomes more vulnerable and consequently more likeable to this reader. Carol Starky is with the bomb squad in LA when she and her partner/lover are victims of a bomb blast that kills him and puts Carol in the hospital for 54 days. Now, 3 years later, she is a bomb investigator and is investigating the death by bomb of another friend and bomb squad technician. Her mind is very keen as she unravels one clue after another amazing the reader page after page. Everyone thinks that this bomb has been planted by a serial bomb-for-hire specialist, Mr. Red. Carol is not so sure about this and sets out to find out if Mr. Red is involved. While she is investigating him, he becomes fascinated by Carol which could turn up deadly for her. My one complaint about this book is that Crais never gives you a description of Carol until after page 200 where he tells you that she is tall and athletic -- nothing more. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine. So even though this isn't another Elvis Cole masterpiece by Crais, he does prove once again that if you're a great author, it doesn't matter who your main character is.

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.

This one works. A complex plot peopled with complex characters should put this one on everyone's thriller list. Action starts before chapter 1, so don't skip the Prologue.Carol Starkey is a bomb-hardened Los Angeles Detective-2 in the Criminal Conspiracy Section working her way back to the bomb squad. A simple-looking pipe bomb detonates in a shopping mall and turns out to be much more than your standard pipe bomb. It's Starkey's turn in rotation, and she begins the investigation. The FBI Bomb Data Center and the ATS National Repository turn up similarities between this bomb and others found around the country, which lead her into the more complex world of a "chronic", a person who is addicted to bombs and the excitement of seeing their effects. Sometimes her own worst enemy, Starkey manages to move from one extreme to the other and back again during the chase. Many twists, dead ends, and convolutions make this a test of your predictive and investigative skills.Tightly plotted, tightly written, and complex with non-stop action. This will keep you reading into the night.

Unplug the phone. Call in sick for work or school. Once you start this awesome new novel, you won't be able to put it down!Robert Crais is a master at creating believable characters and delivering a white-knuckle ride of suspense. Readers of his Elvis Cole novels already know this. Demolition Angel is his first stand alone book and it's an amazing novel.Carol Starkey was horribly scarred and her lover was killed in a bombing. A few years later, Carol is tough as nails and determined to overcome her troubles. Pulled into an investigation of another bomb tech who was blown away, she has to face down all her old fears to stop a serial bomber who takes pride in killing bomb-techs. With fully realized characters and blistering conflict, Demolition Angel takes you inside the world of the bomb squad. Wait until you meet Mr. Red, the bomber who wants to be on the FBI's Most Wanted list.This is a brilliant novel. Even while Crais gets your heart racing, he manages to explore a great many emotional truths along the way. The depth of emotion heightens the suspense. I read this book in one sitting. Robert Crais has outdone himself with this one. Don't miss it!