The Watchman

This Robert Crais novel features Joe Pike, a damaged ex-Marine, ex-cop. ex-mercenary. The novel centres on the threat to Larkin Barkley, daughter of a super-rich LA businessman, who has agreed to testify in a government case against drug runners. Pike is hired to protect her and soon realises that someone is leaking her whereabouts to the baddies. He cuts himself and Larkin off from the government, family and legal people who might be the source of the leak. Spending time alone with Larkin taxes the patience of the laconic and spartan Pike, but he eventually understands that she is similarly damaged, and becomes more fiercely protective of her.
Crais has fashioned a familar scenario, then twisted it a few times to make it more interesting, applying his skill at creating tension and suspense to keep the narrative velocity going while exploring the psychology of the protagonist, who has been a minor character in many of his popular Elvis Cole series.
Crais had, to his credit, moved away from Cole as the series grew stale, writing stand alone novels. He has succeeded here in refreshing the series by making his main character a secondary one and putting the enigmatic Pike in the spotlight. Entertaining and fast-paced.

Surprisingly tender. A little hard to swallow at times, in the Mary Sue sort of way that will be familiar to anyone who's read Crais before. In all highly enjoyable and perhaps even memorable. I'm glad I picked it up.

Loved this. Love the main character and the storytelling