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About The Book

Private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner Joe Pike face a cryptic case and a terrifyingly unpredictable killer in this twisty, edge-of-your-seat thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais.

Traci Beller was only thirteen when her father disappeared in the sleepy town of Rancha, not far from Los Angeles. The evidence says Tommy Beller abandoned his family, but Traci never believed it. Now a super-popular influencer with millions of followers, she finally has the money to hire a new detective to uncover the truth. And that detective is Elvis Cole.

Taking on a ten-years-cold missing person case is almost always a losing game, though Elvis quickly picks up a lead in Rancha when he learns that an ex-con named Sadie Givens and her daughter Anya might have a line on the missing man. But when he finds himself shadowed by a deadly gang of vicious criminals, the case flips on its head. Victims become predators, predators become prey, and when everyone is a victim, will it be possible to save them all?

Calling on the help of his ex-Marine friend, Joe Pike, Elvis follows Tommy Beller's trail into the twisted, nightmarish depths of a monstrous evil, even as what he finds tests his loyalty to his clients, and to himself. But the truth must come out, no matter the cost.

Elvis must face The Big Empty and see justice done.


PRAISE FOR ROBERT CRAIS:

‘The smoothest writing and best storytelling you'll ever read’ DAVID BALDACCI

‘A modern master of crime fiction’ GREGG HURWITZ

‘Robert Crais – and Joe Pike – will have you by the throat’ INDEPENDENT

'Just keeps getting better and better' EVENING STANDARD

‘Robert Crais is hands-down the World’s Greatest Crime Fiction Writer’ HUFFINGTON POST

‘Expertly delivers his customary modern-day riff on the 1940s hardboiled idiom’ GUARDIAN

‘Cleverly plotted, stylishly written’ WASHINGTON POST

‘One of the most reliable storytellers in modern crime fiction’ DAILY MAIL

About The Author

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.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK (January 29, 2025)
  • Length: 352 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781471195068

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Raves and Reviews

The Big Empty is breathtakingly good; an emotional rollercoaster ride with Elvis Cole and Joe Pike as THE dynamic duo in crime fiction’

Anthony J. Tata

The Big Empty is a masterpiece. While many bestselling authors are content to fill in a template, Robert Crais delivers a fresh, original story with every new book, and THE BIG EMPTY is especially brilliant’



Rob Taub

The Big Empty is crazy good – a theme park ride about humanity, from Elvis Cole, from Joe Pike, and from three amazing women. I've never liked Elvis Cole more’

Mike Lupica

‘Robert Crais has crafted another masterpiece, delivering a gripping page-turner and a profound exploration of hidden evils; an edge-of-your-seat reading experience that will stay with you long after the final page’

Ryan Steck

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