Lawyer's Reviews > The Monkey's Raincoat

The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais
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The Monkey's Raincoat: The P.I. Who Didn't Want to Grow Up

“ ‘Prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish, and someday you will be a real boy.’ The Blue Fairy said that. In Pinocchio.”- Elvis Cole Licensed Investigator, State of California


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A dream is a wish your heart makes...


Mr. Cole, this looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Yeah, with you and the big guy, Joe Pike. Don't tell him I said so. I don't want him to jump to the wrong conclusion. But, after all, he said you taught him good things. Says a lot about you. Seems Joe can take things pretty literal. Know what I mean?

Don't get me wrong. I was a little skeptical about you to begin with. What kind of self respecting PI has a Mickey Mouse phone, a Pinnochio Clock, and Jiminy Cricket figurines spread around his office? Any client walking into the place might wonder if they stepped into the wrong office. Underestimate you. But that's part of that self effacing act of yours, isn't it?

I get it. I used to wear a Mickey Mouse watch in the courtroom. Me? Oh, yeah. I'm Sullivan. ADA, retired. I tried guys that hurt kids. So, the Mickey Mouse watch. You and I would get along. Yeah, call me Mike. I'm retired now. Thank God.

You know, I got what you meant about wanting to be Peter Pan, never wanting to grow up. I worked with a lot of guys that went to the Nam. Yeah, some of them came back different, real different. Effed up. So you saying you decided you didn't want to grow up when your were eighteen in a rice paddy In Country. I get that. You didn't say so, but I bet you saw a bunch of shit you wish you hadn't.

Like I say, we'll get along fine. I had days I wished I hadn't grown up. People don't get me sometimes. I've seen as much as you have. It's the eyes of dead kids get me. Sometimes they look surprised. Others...they don't. Look surprised. It's like they knew it was coming. Some almost looked like they were glad it was over.

That Mickey Mouse watch. It made the living kids smile. I liked that. It pissed off the lawyers who represented the beaters, the rapers, the killers. I liked that, too. It's good when you can get under the other guy's skin. Yeah, you know that, too.

I started figuring you out when Ellen Lang and that barracuda friend of hers came into your office. Ellen's husband Mort is missing. And her nine year old boy, Perry. Ellen, that little hausfrau from Kansas, who didn't even know how to write a check. And that girl friend of hers, riding her to get on with it. Hire you. Get rid of the shit husband. You took that case for less than it was worth. I liked that about you.

Then I got to thinking about that Haiku by Basho at the beginning of your story.

Winter downpour--
even the monkey
needs a raincoat.


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Matsuo Basho, 1644-1694, Osaka Prefecture, Japan

That's the way your mind clicks. You are the raincoat, Mr. Cole. Aren't you? And your client is the monkey. When times get bad you protect your client. Whatever it takes. Joe Pike is your extra muscle. He was in the Nam, too. A Marine. And a cop. Maybe a little zealous. Maybe that's why he's not on the force, but with you.

You're a lot deeper than you let on, Mr. Cole. The records in your house, the music you listen to again and again. The shelf of books you read again and again. The books that fit your life, the way you live it, the way you work it. No wonder some folks don't see you coming, take you for granted. Like a man wearing a Mickey Mouse watch.

Nothing's ever simple as it looks, is it? Yeah, we all knew Hubby Mort was a shit. Had girls on the side. The little hausfrau at home probably knew about them, but wouldn't say a word. When Mort turns up with a bullet in his brain pan, neither you nor I were surprised.

But where's Perry? I wasn't surprised you tore up that fee check Ellen wrote you. All part of being that monkey's raincoat. Isn't it?

There's a real cute phrase the cool people. Wait a minute. The people who think they're cool, say today: "Not my circus, not my monkey." Ain't that a scream? No, I didn't think you would think so. But that's the way most folks are these days. You aren't. Yeah, I like that.

Let me just say, I like your style. And, Joe Pike? I wouldn't want him mad at me. Well, I wouldn't want you mad at me either, Mr. Cole. But I'd be glad for y'all to have my back.

Anybody reads this, I'll just tell them they will have to read this for themselves. I wouldn't want to spoil it for them. Let's just say the good guys win. That's not a bad thing.

Mr. Cole, I'll be back. Say, looks like you could use a good Mickey Mouse watch for your collection. Here. No, I won't miss it. I'm retired. You aren't. Besides, I'll be back to see it from time to time. I'll drop by with a bottle of Glenlivet like you like. Or I may try to talk you into some Glenmorangie Single Malt 18 Years Old. It's good. Like this story.

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Sullivan's Watch







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Reading Progress

December 14, 2015 – Started Reading
December 14, 2015 – Shelved
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: 2015
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: 20th-century
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: detective-fiction
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: hard-boiled
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: hard-boiled-detective
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: elvis-cole-1
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: robert-crais
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: joe-pike
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: anthony-award
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: mccavity-award-best-first-novel
December 17, 2015 – Shelved as: 20th-century-100-best-mysteries
December 17, 2015 – Finished Reading

Comments Showing 1-10 of 10 (10 new)

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James Thane I thought that this was a very good beginning to a series I like a lot. I'll look forward to your full review.


Lawyer James wrote: "I thought that this was a very good beginning to a series I like a lot. I'll look forward to your full review."

James, thanks for writing. I also thought it was the excellent beginning of a series. Crais' style works for me. Considering the numbers of awards he's won with these two characters, I'll be reading more. I was doing a little reading on Crais. He said he wasn't pleased with the early novels. That tells me I have a lot to look forward to as I read more about Cole and Pike.


James Thane I think, as is the case so often, that this series gets better as it goes along, so you've got some very good books ahead of you.


message 4: by Diane (new)

Diane Barnes I like this review. Very inventive.


Lawyer Diane wrote: "I like this review. Very inventive."

Thanks, Diane. This one really grabbed me. In more ways than one. Crais covers all the bases. And he covers them well. As of 2014 he was named a Grand Master, entering the ranks of the best of the Mystery Writers' Association. I will be returning to this series from time to time. Not your usual detective series. There's much of value to be mined here. For a change of pace, I highly recommend giving Robert Crais a try. The author says it doesn't matter where you start. But, you know me, I'm a completist. I start at the beginning. I love watching the characters evolve.


message 6: by Kim (new) - rated it 5 stars

Kim Kaso I, too, wore a Mickey Mouse watch, a present from my husband when he had to travel to Spain while we both served in the Navy. It was our inside joke about many aspects of military life. I wore Mickey on the inside of my wrist where he reminded me to not lose my sense of the ridiculous, to keep my sense of humor, come what may.


message 7: by Kim (new) - rated it 5 stars

Kim Kaso P.S. Elvis and Joe are also great favorites here.


Lawyer Kim wrote: "P.S. Elvis and Joe are also great favorites here."

Kim, please accept my apology for not having picked up on your comment earlier. I'm notoriously behind on following comments on earlier reviews. I'm always off and running to the next read. Mea Culpa.

I laughed at you and your husband wearing a Mickey Mouse watch as a joke relating to the "Mickey Mouse" aspects of military requirements. I had a wonderful friend in the District Attorney's Office who sported a blatant Mickey Mouse Tee to all District Attorney's Conferences for the same reason. Such events could be ridiculous, ignoring the true aspects of the profession. Many were more concerned over how many notches they could carve in the butt of their professional "9mm." The fact is, the pure purpose of the job was to do the right thing. That didn't mean the number of convictions you obtained, but preserving the rights of the accused as well as the rights of the victims. It was a well documented fact that the simple fact one was accused didn't always equal guilt. It was our job to recognize the difference. Those who slogged on, ignoring the possibility that the accused were innocent were a blight on the profession as a whole. Recently prosecutors have been subject to being charged for hiding evidence that caused the innocent to be jailed. I couldn't agree more.

I'll be reading much more Crais. His writing appeals to me a great deal. All the best.


William Thank you for the terrific review !


Linda Wells Thanks for fantastic review!


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