What was the first book written by Robert Crais?

Robert Crais' 1987 novel "The Monkey's Raincoat" is the first book he ever wrote. In his first novel, Crais introduced Elvis Cole, a fictional L.A. Private Eye. Although Crais initially conceived of this novel as a stand-alone, he went on to create an entire series about Elvis Cole.

In "The Monkey's Raincoat," a woman named Ellen Lang hires Cole and his partner Joe Price to find her missing husband. Crais won the Anthony and Macavity Awards for this novel and was nominated for the Edgar and Shamus Awards. Independent Mystery Book Sellers listed Crais' novel as one of its 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century.