Robert Crais’s The Big Empty has a cover that falls flat on multiple fronts. First, the author’s name dominates the design, not only overshadowing the title but literally spilling off the edges, which comes across as more about branding than intriguing potential readers. The title itself, The Big Empty, is mildly intriguing but vague, leaving us grasping for any meaningful hints about the story. Is it about isolation? A desolate place? Existential dread? The sunset highway photo feels generic and doesn’t add much context—perhaps it’s Los Angeles, but we’re just guessing.
Our wild guess? It’s a detective novel where crooks pull off a major heist—maybe cleaning out a museum, a bank, or something equally valuable—leaving a “big empty” behind. Likely, Elvis Cole and Joe Pike are the detectives (or private investigators) trying to track down the culprits.
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)
Traci Beller was 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, ten years later, Traci is a high-profile influencer with millions of followers and the money to hire the best detective she can find: Elvis Cole.