The Lineup: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives

ROBERT CRAIS

Born in Louisiana in 1953, Robert Crais moved to Hollywood in 1976, becoming one of the most successful television writers of the time. In addition to scripts for such hugely successful series as Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, L.A. Law, and Miami Vice, he wrote numerous pilots and made-for-television movies and miniseries. He was nominated for an Emmy for his work on Hill Street Blues. After an active decade of writing and producing TV programs, he quit to become a full-time novelist.

His first novel, The Monkey’s Raincoat, introduced Elvis Cole, with elements of his own life forming the basis of the story. It was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award, won the Anthony and Macavity awards, and was named one of the 100 favorite mysteries of the century by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. Although never planning the novel to be the first of a series, Crais realized that he had produced something special-an interesting and powerful character who served as a surrogate for himself, and through whom he could comment on topics of the day. Joe Pike, Cole’s sidekick, developed as the series progressed, becoming a formidable personality in his own right. Crais became a perennial bestseller with the publication of L.A. Requiem in 1999-one of the most beautifully conceived and written private-detective stories of all time.

In addition to the Elvis Cole series, Crais has written three stand-alone thrillers: Demolition Angel (2000), Hostage (2001), and The Two-Minute Rule (2006). Hostage was filmed in 2005, with Bruce Willis starring as the former Los Angeles SWAT negotiator Jeff Talley.

Crais lives in Los Angeles, California, with his wife, Pat.