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The First Rule Audiobook
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(4.00) - 6,070 listener ratings
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The organized criminal gangs of the former Soviet Union are bound by what they call the thieves’ code. The first rule is this: A thief must forsake his mother, father, brothers, and sisters. He must have no family—no wife, no children—because only other criminals are his family. If any of the rules are broken, it is punishable by death.
Frank Meyer had the American dream—a wife and family he adored, a successful business—until the day a professional crew invaded his home and murdered everyone inside. The only thing out of the ordinary about Meyer was that—before the family and the business and the normal life—a younger Frank Meyer worked as a professional military contractor, a mercenary, with a man named Joe Pike. Frank was one of Pike’s guys, and they faced death together in every rotten hellhole around the world.
The police think Meyer was hiding something very bad, because previous home invasions by the crew had targeted only criminals with large stashes of cash or drugs. Pike cannot believe it, and with the help of Cole, he sets out on a hunt of his own: to clear his friend, to punish the people who murdered him.
A trail that at first seems relatively simple, however, very quickly becomes complicated, as the two of them find themselves entangled in a web of ancient grudges, blood ties, blackmail, vengeance, double crosses, and cutthroat criminality, and at the heart of it all, an act so terrible even Pike and Cole have no way to measure it.
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"I thought The Sentry was really good, but this book is even better. Friendship, loyalty, bravery,,,it's all bound together in this story. One of Joe's men is killed along with his family, and Joe;s mission becomes proving his man's innocence and finding the killer. The female FBI agent in this story, though, is lame. I'm not sure a guy like Pike would bow to such a hard-nosed bitch. She really bugged me, but HEY that's good writing when you want to take out a character on your own. Not just erase her--Take Her Out! The other characters were great, and Cole was on top of his game. I heartily recommend this book."
— Yeva (5 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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A USA Today bestseller
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Selected for the January 2010 Indie Next List
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A 2011 Shamus Award Nominee for Best Hardcover PI Novel
The First Rule Listener Reviews
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" Excellent mystrey by one of the best authors today. I'm looking forward to more Joe Pike Mysteries. He's the kind of character you would like to have on your side when the times get tough. "
— Cynda, 2/18/2014 -
" I am a big fan of Elvis Cole, the detective usually featured in the Robert Crais books but this one features his partner, Joe Pike. A story with lots of shady characters and lots of suspense. The ending was just right. "
— Judy, 2/15/2014 -
" Crais at his best. Very, very dark. "
— Terry, 1/17/2014 -
" Joe Pike has the lead in this book - and Elvis Cole is in it as well. I'd give it a 3.5 - lots of twists and turns. And Joe Pike has a soft side...go figure "
— Joanne, 1/16/2014 -
" Got a bit sloppy towards the end. I think Crais likes to write action and sometimes it feels like he forces more giant battle scenes than are really necessary. The battle at the end here really didn't seem necessary - could have been cleaner. "
— Eric, 1/9/2014 -
" Good, but slightly confusing. "
— LoganErin, 1/9/2014 -
" First read of any book by Crais. This one was really good. Now moving into older books. "
— Cheryl, 12/22/2013 -
" Joe Pike is a great character. This book is about friendship and loyalty-wherever they may take you. "
— Patt, 12/20/2013 -
" My first Crais. Good airplane read of an interesting partnership in crime detection laced with some philosophical humor "
— Robert, 12/19/2013 -
" This is the first time I've read anything by Robert Crais, and I have to say that I'll be back for more. I love the character Joe Pike, and enjoyed reading a book in which he is the main character. I do find some of the situations somewhat unbelieveable, but I did enjoy the book. "
— Janice, 10/12/2013 -
" would have gotten 4 starts if he had gotten any girl. "
— Tom, 10/8/2013 -
" Taut, gripping, engaging, but kind of drags the last 90 pages or so. "
— Denise, 9/23/2013 -
" was my first book by Robert Crais, was awesome, lots of suspense and intensity. won't be my last one "
— Erick, 12/17/2012 -
" Wow! This second book in the Joe Pike series is just as good, if not better than the first one. I am wondering how I missed this author and why I have never read him before. I am going to order all of the Elvis Cole books from the library. "
— Patti, 6/30/2012 -
" I prefer Elvis Cole to Joe Pike. Team Cole? Very well paced. I particularly enjoy Crais' focus on the investigation as well as the constant action; it gives the action meaning. "
— Peter, 6/27/2012 -
" Read the condensed version. "
— Sonia, 5/31/2012 -
" I little violent for my taste. I loved Pike with Peter. "
— Wilma, 5/27/2012 -
" It was pretty good but not my favorite. "
— Cecilie, 4/16/2012 -
" Another solid read from Crais. Okay, I miss Elvis' narration, but he has 4 LOL lines and appears quite a bit. Fast paced and action packed! "
— Aynge, 3/1/2012 -
" Looking for an author somewhat similar to Harlan Coben, Robert Crais was recommended to me. I enjoyed the partnership of Joe Pike and Elvis Cole in this novel. Fast paced thriller with some dry wit thrown in. Will definitely read more from this author about these two characters. "
— Kathleen, 1/23/2012 -
" FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!!! "
— Marsie, 12/2/2011 -
" Just have to say, I love this one. Joe Pike is great! "
— Jeanine, 11/21/2011 -
" Not my favorite Crais book, this one seems pretty formulaic in my opinion and reads like a plot for an action/adventure movie. The author writes reliably entertaining crime novels, but this one lacks the depth of some of his other offerings, give me L.A Requiem anytime. "
— Doctorwu51, 11/11/2011 -
" Audio -- the book may have gotten a 2.5 from me until I got to the scene with the dogs. "
— Irene, 5/23/2011 -
" I love those strong, silent types with .9mm automatics. "
— Barbara, 5/21/2011 -
" I enjoy the main character and wouldn't hesitate to read another of his books.<br/> "
— Jan, 5/6/2011 -
" Robert Crais does a great with the Cole and Pike series. This is an excellent read nominally plausible but well constructed with engaging characters. Great Beach read or any read. "
— Michael, 4/28/2011 -
" I enjoyed it, but I hope Pike isn't going to turn into Reacher. "
— Steve, 4/27/2011 -
" A rather complicated story about Eastern European mafia, rather bloody details of gory torture, not too sure if I would read another book by him "
— Neil, 4/21/2011 -
" This was the first Joe Pike novel I have read. I don't usually read about organized gangs but once I got past the first few pages I was hooked. I couldn't put it down. "
— Marcie, 4/15/2011 -
" <br/>I didn't care for this Elvis Cole novel, but will keep an open mind while I <br/> read others. "
— April, 4/1/2011 -
" Meh. It is typical by the number comic book thriller. The bad guys are all swarthy fat guys. The good guys always win the fight - a bit too easily. The gov't people are mostly fools and in the way. I dont read a lot of this. "
— Joseph, 3/31/2011 -
" Read the condensed version. "
— Sonia, 3/31/2011 -
" Fast paced, gory and somewhat sad all around. Another one where Pike avenges things. Pike doesn't have much depth and what little bit of empathy he has is shown in just a small window in this book. However, Pike's not about empathy but settling scores and he does so in fine style again. "
— Shannon, 3/31/2011 -
" Crais needs to realize that Joe Pike is no Elvis Cole. Elvis has all the personality of his name sake, and so does Pike. "
— Mike, 3/30/2011 -
" I almost gave this four stars just because there is not a single rogue CIA agent in it. "
— Craig, 3/30/2011 -
" It was okay. Glad I was finished with it. "
— Anna, 3/29/2011
About Robert Crais
Robert Crais is an American author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including Taken, which debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. He received the Ross Macdonald Literary Award in 2006, The Eye—Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, and the Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master Award in 2014. He has written for such acclaimed television shows as L.A. Law, Cagney and Lacey, Miami Vice, and Hill Street Blues. A film adaptation of his novel Hostage was released in 2005, starring Bruce Willis as ex-LAPD SWAT negotiator Jeff Talley.