(CNN) -- We should all be so lucky to have friends like Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. Private detectives in modern-day Los Angeles, they're the stars of best-selling author Robert Crais' award-winning series of crime novels. Elvis and Joe have been busting bad guys and thrilling millions of readers since 1987's "The Monkey's Raincoat." The books are international bestsellers, published in 42 countries, and have developed a fervent following. In "Taken," Crais's newest novel, his 15th featuring the daring duo, Elvis and Joe take on an especially bloodthirsty group of criminals called bajadores. They are bandits who prey on other bandits along the U.S.-Mexico border, dealing in drugs, murder and kidnapping.
@highlight
Robert Crais returns to private detective duo Elvis Cole and Joe Pike in "Taken"
@highlight
The characters have appeared in Crais' crime novels since 1987
@highlight
"Taken" is intense and reads like a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster
Elvis Cole
Elvis
Elvis
Elvis Cole
I've done @placeholder books; I've done Joe books; I've done mixed books, but this time, I made a conscious decision I wanted to tell a story where I could split the book pretty much down the middle and give them 50-50 equal footing so they both have their starring roles.
Joe Pike
Joe
Joe
Joe Pike
I've done Elvis books; I've done @placeholder books; I've done mixed books, but this time, I made a conscious decision I wanted to tell a story where I could split the book pretty much down the middle and give them 50-50 equal footing so they both have their starring roles.
Elvis Cole
Elvis
Elvis
Elvis Cole
Then there's @placeholder' track through the story, and there's Joe track, where he's trying to find Elvis and save him.
Hollywood
To me, that is the great thing about books, and I guess part of me is a little scared that if I let @placeholder get involved, and even if there's a really good movie made, that somehow once you've seen the film, when you come back to the new book next year, that collaboration that you and I have is going to be a little bit different.