While filling his tires with air, Pike observes two suspicious men entering a sandwich shop. He enters the shop and interrupts the beating of Wilson Smith by neutralizing one assailant while the other flees the scene. Dru Rayne, the owner's niece, returns to the shop but provides very little insight except to say "They always come back."

Dru does however make a lasting impression on Pike who vows to sets things right. Pike discovers the assailants are members of the V13 gang in Venice so he calls upon his friend Artie Alvarez who runs the Angel Eyes Outreach Program for at risk children to set up a meeting with the gang's leader, Michael Azzara. Azzara agrees to leave Wilson and Dru alone but when the shop is vandalized again, Pike is prompted to further action.

   Along the way, Pike enlists the aid of Elvis Cole, John Chen who works in the LAPD Scientific Investigations Division (SID = CSI) and Lucy Chenier, Cole's former lover who moved back to New Orleans to continue her law practice but who helps with the investigation into the history of Dru and Wilson from there. Because of the inclusion of these "old friends," it helps to have read the prior Joe Pike novels but The Sentry can be a read as a standalone novel.  

The Sentry starts strong and finishes even stronger with surprising twists and the ultimate showdown between Pike and Daniel. Set in the canals of Venice, California, The Sentry delves more deeply into the relationship of Joe Pike the sunglass-wearing, yoga-practicing, vegetarian with arrow tattoos facing forward on each shoulder and Elvis Cole the light-hearted, glib private detective. Ultimately, Pike is forced to look at things differently as Cole learns more about Dru and reluctantly informs his very best friend.

No question about it: Robert Crais just gets better and better.

--Jerry Solot