Book ~ "The Wanted" (2017) Robert Crais

From Goodreads ~ When single mother Devon Connor hires private investigator Elvis Cole, it's because her troubled teenage son, Tyson, is flashing cash and she's afraid he's dealing drugs. But the truth is devastatingly different. With two other partners in crime, he's been responsible for a string of high-end burglaries, a crime spree that takes a deadly turn when one of them is murdered and Tyson and his girlfriend disappear. 

They stole the wrong thing from the wrong man. Determined to get it back, he has hired a team that is smart and brutal, and to even the odds, Cole calls in his friend, Joe Pike. But even they may be overmatched. The hired killers are leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. A few more won't make any difference. 

Elvis Cole is a private detective and he is hired by Devon to find out what her teenage son, Tyson, is up to.  She has discovered in his room a lot of cash, some flashy clothes in his closet and a Rolex watch.  As Elvis investigates, he discovers that Tyson and two of his friends are responsible for robbing eighteen houses.

In the meantime, two thugs are on the hunt to find Tyson and his two accomplices to get back something they'd stolen ... and they won't stop until they get them.  Elvis has stumbled into something bigger than he has signed up for but it's up to him and his friend and partner, Joe Pike, to ensure the teenagers stay alive.

I discovered the Elvis Cole series in the 1990s.  What attracted me to it was that Elvis was funny and tried to be charming ... the books were a fun read.  It's been a couple years since Crais has put out a book (I've missed Elvis and Joe Pike!) and this one is reminiscent of an earlier Elvis.  It's not as heavy as the last one and the humour in the writing style is back  (yay!).  Though it's #17 in the series, it works as a stand alone.  As a head's up, there is some swearing and violence.

The book is written from different perspectives.  It's first person when it's Elvis' voice and third person when it's everyone else ... the beginning of the chapters are labelled so you know.