"Is it possible for a crime novel to be both ultra-violent and elegant? If so, then The First Rule is a prime example. The mayhem is graphic and unflinching, but the prose and story line are as sleek and efficient as a beautifully crafted piece of machinery."--The Seattle Times "[The First Rule] will satisfy longtime fans and make new ones...well-written action sequences and snappy dialogue."--Los Angeles Times "Crais follows a straightforward, no-nonsense tradition that marks him as a direct descendant of Raymond Chandler."--Pittsburg Tribune-Review "A devastatingly effective thriller."--The Providence Journal "Adrenaline-fueled...Pike emerges as an enigmatically appealing hero, whose lethal skills never overshadow his unflappable sense of morality."--Publishers Weekly "Crais plants each twist carefully and detonates it expertly...Righteous vengeance, a reckless pace, astratospheric body count, and just enough surprises to keep you turning the pages."--Kirkus Reviews

When Frank Meyer and his family are executed in their home, the police begin investigating the secret life they're sure Meyer had. Joe Pike's on a hunt of his own: to clear his friend's name, and to punish the people who murdered him. What starts out as a simple trail gets twisted fast by old grudges, double crosses, blood vengeance, and a crime so terrible even Pike and his partner Elvis Cole have no way to measure it.