What is the author's style in L.A. Requiem by Robert Crais?

The majority of the novel is told in first person from the point of view of private detective Elvis Cole. Cole has a keen eye and boasts a solid judge of character, and so as a narrator he is trustworthy and clever. Even when he deals with personally distressing situations, he is honest and fair. The point of view shifts to omniscient third person perspective during flashback sequences and brief glimpses into the mind of the killer. These third-person episodes allow the reader to learn more about Joe Pike, who is the subject of the flashbacks, and also remain in sync with the killer, who the narrator might use to detail the next step of his plot to murder the next victim. This unique combination of perspectives offers a balance between the point of view of the main character and an investigator who is close to the central conflict of the novel, with the underlying background information that explains the mannerisms of his closest friend, and the thought process of the man he is attempting to apprehend.