Product Description
One of America's favorite writers captures the wild and glorious spirit of the American West.

Set against a breathtaking landscape painted with eloquent stories, here are the extraordinary characters, the desperate odds, and the spirit of a wild frontier as only Elmore Leonard can evoke them. In these three classic novels, Leonard has crafted raw, hard-bitten tales of courage, treachery, and redemption. In The Bounty Hunters, a cavalryman turned Indian scout rides after an Apache renegade&151;while he himself is pursued by a hate-filled relationship with a powerful army commander. In Forty Lashes Less One, two prisoners search for a way out of a hellhole of hatred and suffering—and find it in a crazed, violent contest. And in Gunsights, an Arizona land war draws a carnival of reporters, photographers, and spectators, while it puts two fierce frontier fighters and best friends on opposite sides of a deadly serious fight.

Elmore Leonard’s electrifying western novels, many captured on film, stand as some of the most vivid writing of his career. Crackling with Leonard’s trademark dialogue, set against a beautifully evoked landscape, here are classic works that capture the wild and glorious spirit of the American West. ... Read more

Product Description
From a forbidden glance on a Miami night to a killer's slow burn on a Detroit street, no one mixes passion, scheming, and violence better than Elmore Leonard. But before he did it in Miami Beach or Motor City, Elmore Leonard did it on the American frontier.

The Tonto Woman and Other Western Stories is a raw, hard-bitten collection that gathers together the best of Leonard's Western fiction. In stories that burn with passion, treachery, and heroism, the American frontier comes vividly, magnificently to life. In "The Tonto Woman," a young wife, her face tattooed by Indian kidnappers, becomes society's outcast--until an outlaw vows to set her free. . . . In "Only Good Ones," we meet a fine man turned killer in one impossible moment. . . ."Saint with a Six-Gun" pits a doomed prisoner against his young guard--in a drama of deception and compassion that leads to a shocking act of courage. . . . In "The Colonel's Lady," a brutal ambush puts a woman into the hands of a vicious renegade--while a tracker attempts a rescue that cannot come in time . . . and in "Blood Money," five bank robbers are being picked off one by one, but one man believes he can make it out alive.

The wild and glorious spirit of the West comes alive in the hands of America's greatest storyteller. Etching a harsh, haunting landscape with razor-sharp prose, Elmore Leonard shows in nineteen brilliant stories why he has become the American poet laureate of the desperate and the bold.Amazon.com Review
Welcome to a world where the Hatch & Hodges stagecoach runs on time orsomeone will catch hell, and where a man knows the difference betweenhandling a Winchester rifle and a Sharps and a Henry--or pays for it withhis life.

Before he became one of the best crime writers in America, Elmore Leonardwas one of the best Western writers in America. He churned out shortstories for the pulp magazines with regularity; The Tonto Womancollects 19 of the best, including "Three-Ten to Yuma" and "The Captives,"which in 1957 became the first two of his stories to be adapted for film(the latter as The Tall T). Reading them and the other stories, youcan see why Hollywood has been continually drawn to Leonard: Everyencounter between two or more people, no matter how casual, hassubstance--becomes a matter of great moral significance and can only beresolved through action. Even those stories that rely on O. Henry-styletwists of fate to reach their endings are packed with intense characterstudies disguised as straightforward genre prose. When all is said anddone, Elmore Leonard will be mentioned by literary critics in the samebreath as Ernest Hemingway--quite likely even mentionedfirst--and The Tonto Woman will make one of the strongestarguments in his favor. --Ron Hogan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A collection of memorable Elmore Leonard characters in a western setting
Elmore Leonard does create truly memorable flesh and blood, though often quirky, characters and this was just as true when he wrote western pulp fiction in the 50's, 60's, and 70's as it is now.For instance, there are Rueben Vega and the title character of the main story, Pat Brennan (The Captives), Bobby Valdez and Lyall Quinlan (Saint With A Six-Gun), Amelia Darck and Simon Street (The Colonel's Lady) among others. There are classic tales such as 3:10 To Yuma" and "Hurrah For Captain Early".There's much about the independence of women and about troubled ethnic relations.These are western tales which can be enjoyed by those who ordinarily dislike westerns. And those fans of the later Elmore Leonard will find much that's delightful in his western stories.

The Art of the Western
THE TONTO WOMAN by Elmore 'Dutch' Leonard contains short stories that will redefine how you view 'The Old West' with plots twists and turns the likes of which any writer can envy.
As a long time reader and fan of Leonard's I like to revisit the western stories from time to time to enjoy the dialogue, storyline construction, and characters that are anything but stock or easy to pigeon hole.
THE TONTO WOMAN introduced us to a strong female lead long before it became common place, good guys who weren't necessarily all that good, bad guys who weren't all that bad, and folks caught in between who are still struggling with where they fit in or fall into the picture.
Hollywood gave us a number of versions of the 'Old West' but I suspect it is authors like Leonard who provide a better and realistic look.
This is a great commuter book. The stories are short, entertaining and well written.

Fun reading, though it does start getting a bit predictable
This is my 3rd Elmore Leonard Book in a row, so I guess I'm steadily approaching burnout.Love his cool, concise prose style but I'm beginning notice pretty much the same "low-key, cool-as-ice underdog improbably wins in the end" theme over and over.The characters, settings and situations change with admirable variety, but the outcome is always the same, one way or another.Along the way there is a subtle and somewhat subversive criticism of the societal, economic and political status quo which is hard not to enjoy.

Makes for great beach and in-flight reading, that's for sure.Afterwards I can barely remember anything about most of these stories...

Vintage Elmore
A delightful collection of Western short stories by a master. You'll find the original for the movie "3:10 to Yuma," plus at least one Randolph Scott thriller. I understand "Tonto Woman" is now a movie and up for an Academy Award.

Inimitable Leonard Western stories
A recent newcomer to the Western genre, I was told by a friend to pick up Elmore Leonard's westerns. I knew of Leonard's crime stories, of course, but hadn't read him.
Quickly I have become a major fan. The other names in the Western genre can't touch Leonard. This is a great collection of short stories.
I'm rapidly going through the Leonard canon of Westerns and will be very sorry when I get to the end... ... Read more

Product Description

Before he brilliantly traversed the gritty landscapes of underworld Detroit and Miami, the incomparable Elmore Leonard wrote breathtaking adventures set in America's nineteenth-century western frontier—elevating a popular genre with his now-trademark twisting plots, rich characterizations, and scalpel-sharp dialogue.

Customer Reviews (1)

Second Slug of Elmore Leonard Westerns!
This collection of short stories was culled from the hardcover COMPLETE WESTERN STORIES OF ELMORE LEONARD.

The stories covered in this volume range from that of a Mexican deputy sheriff discovering the true face of old West justice to an Indian attack on an isolated stagecoach station to the quandry a widowed rancher finds himself in when he realizes his new lady love has a checkered past.

I enjoyed the short stories in this book more than those found in the companion BLOOD MONEY AND OTHER STORIES paperback. There are fewer stories in this volume. They're longer in length and therein lies the difference. That extra length allows Leonard to plug more background, color and details into the stories and their characters. The stories still need work, however, in recreating that authentic feel of the old West.

Good reading for Western fans.



... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Definitive Biography of Elmore Leonard
In this engaging, readable biogrpahy of the man Walker Percy called "the greatest crime writer of our time," biographer James E. Devlin follows sedulously the long career of Elmore Leonard.In stimulating fashion the author discusses Leonard's connection to pulp, the Western genre, crime literature, Hammett, Chandler, and George V. Higgins.This study is the definitive biography of Leonard a writer who deserves serious critical attention and gets it from Devlin--a professor of English Literature at State University, New York. --Andrew McAleer is the author of Appearance of Counsel and the assistant editor of the Rex Stout Journal. ... Read more

Product Description

Clement Mansell knows how easy it is to get away with murder. The seriously crazed killer is already back on the Detroit streets -- thanks to some nifty courtroom moves by his crafty looker of a lawyer -- and he's feeling invincible enough to execute a crooked Motown judge on a whim. Homicide Detective Raymond Cruz thinks the "Oklahoma Wildman" crossed the line long before this latest outrage, and he's determined to see that the hayseed psycho does not slip through the legal system's loopholes a second time. But that means a good cop is going to have to play somewhat fast and loose with the rules -- in order to maneuver Mansell into a wild Midwest showdown that he won't be walking away from.

Customer Reviews (4)

Good stuff!
This is one of Leonard's early crime novels when he made the transition from westerns, and though the setting is contemporary, in many ways CITY PRIMEVAL feels like a western, and that's a good thing.Law man vs. bad man in gritty urban Detroit-- a simpler structure than his later books that featured motley crews of bad guys.The dialogue is right on the money, the plot suspenseful.It has everything you could ask for in a good crime book.Compared to a lot of the dreck that passes for crime fiction these days, it's a gem.

High Noon in Detroit, The Hunted and The Switch
I have never been disappointed with Elmore Leonard and though some books are better than others they are all fives. If one has read any of Leonard's older Westerns you can,in these three books, his morphing over to modern day crime from early westerns, that directly links the good and evil of crime,and the consistancy of psychopaths, past and present.

Good guy, bad guy, threatened heroine and a plot, that's it.

Leonard always creates an original and believable plot. His books are not mystery's they are the development of characters, portrayed in pitch perfect dialogue, that come together in believable random ways. You know roughly how they will end, good wins and bad loses, but the trip, with meandering and fascinating building block incidents, are a pleasure.

The psychological depth that he gives his characters always ring true.

Not up to what you would expect from a Leonard classic
This is one of those Elmore Leonard books that you just wont find in a bookstore. City Primeval has the characters you expect from a Leonard book, it has the banter, it has the tounge in cheek humor, and it has the plot that Leonard used to such a degree of sucess later on. But in the end, this book just does not meld together in the way that Leonard later perfected. The characters, the bad guys are just a little too stupid and evil here. The whole story relies so heavily upon them, that it falls apart due to Leonards not having yet found his magic that pops up in later books like Get Shorty.

This book was written almost three decades ago and is dated. I think that this might have been released right before Leonard went on a tear and churned out a good ten classics that are not only hillarious, but influenced a generation of writers like Carl Hiasson and Kinky Friedman. Leonard started out writing westerns and crime novels mostly set in Detroit where this book is set. Later he moved all of the action to Florida, and these are where the best of his works are set.

The book starts out with Clement Mansell, a ruthless punk, gunning down a judge every one hates and a young whore the judge was out with. From here it becomes a conflict between Mansell and a hard nosed cop Detective Raymond Cruz.

This book isn't all bad, and is worth reading if you have read most of Leonards more recent work and are wanting to take on everything the author has written. But I would suggest that you not start with this book. Try Get Shorty, or one of his from around 1990-95, and I would say that you will be much happier.

Showdown with the Wildman
Clement Mansell is a killer without a conscious, and the guts to match. Is he going to blink? And if he does, the question is who's going to make him do it? Raymond Cruz, the cop who is nearly as crazy as he is? Carolyn Wilder, his attorney who is as hard as nails? or some one else? Each page is more intense than the one before. ... Read more

Product Description

Psycho mama's boy Teddy Magyk has a serious jones for the Miami cop who put him away for raping a senior citizen -- but he wants to hit Vincent Mora where it really hurts before killing him. So when a beautiful Puerto Rican hooker takes a swan dive from an Atlantic City high-rise and Vincent naturally shows up to investigate the questionable death of his "special friend," Teddy figures he's got his prey just where he wants him. But the A.C. dazzle is blinding the Magic Man to a couple of very hard truths: Vincent Mora doesn't forgive and forget ... and he doesn't die easy.

Customer Reviews (19)

An older Elmore Leonard that still stands tall
I'm amazed that it took so long for me to really discover Elmore Leonard. Now I'm into his work from 25 years ago and am still enthralled.Leonard's detracters label him as a pulp hack, and I'm not sure that's totally untrue, but geeze, he's so masterful with his colorful prose and he does really create living and breathing characters who you might not want to invite to your house, but would consider going to have a beer with.

Okay, 4 and a half stars
If I remember correctly, this was Elmore Leonard's breakout book, and at the time long books were in fashion."Books by the pound," people in the book biz used to call them. I have a feeling EL's publisher encouraged him to write long this time, and I think the book suffers a bit for that.So I'll knock off a half star from my rating for verbosity.Still, it's a wonderful read with colorful characters, wry humor, and great dialogue.And as an extra bonus, EL tackles new locales here--Atlantic City and Puerto Rico instead of his usual Detroit and Miami.It's a classic hardcase good guy vs. wacko bad guy tale, and what could be more satisfying than that?

Awesome build-up to a final reckoning
Miami Beach police lieutenant Vincent Mora(VM), a widower aged 41, is suddenly challenged when loaded with groceries, a nervous junkie pulls a gun on him, wanting his wallet. He tries to stall and bluff his way out, but the junkie shoots him. Lying on the pavement, VM puts three bullets through the fleeing robber.
On his back waiting for the ambulance, in weeks in bed in hospital, and on the beach of Puerto Rico, where he recovers from his injury, VM replays the scene of the robbery again and again. And wonders, did I handle this OK, am I past it, shouldn't I retire on three-quarters of my salary, and relax here in PR and do something else?
VM might still be pondering the question today, regretting the departure of his young and beautiful, dumb and ambitious hooker girlfriend Iris Ruiz to Atlantic City, where she is promised a job as a hostess in a casino, if the past had not caught up with him in the form of Teddy...
Repeat offender Teddy Magyk (TM) has been released after serving seven out of a 10-20 years sentence for aggravated rape. VM was the police officer who collared him for his last offence and Teddy, in prison jargon a "snake", now methodically moves closer and closer to VM and Iris. He wants to get even and tempts VM to respond, hoping for a final confrontation. The still recovering VM is gradually being forced to adjust his priorities, esp. when Iris' career in Atlantic City turns out to be short-lived. Brutally so.
This is a vintage Elmore Leonard novel and Vincent and Teddy are vintage Leonard creations. His novels are series of dialogues shored up by perspectives on anything and everything from the protagonists' minds. No interference from the author at all, except for the plot sketching the road the characters follow towards the inevitable showdown. Otherwise, great atmosphere and a book that reads like watching a film. "Glitz" was made into a film starring Jimmy Smits, who played police parts in a number of series made for television. One of his best.

great writing and fast story
How can you expect much else.Leonard is simply a great writer and his stories are highly entertaining.He obviously has good contacts in the law enforcement community because his books usually show subtle but accurate insights into the crime world.If you are a leonard fan (and you should be if you aren't) this won't disappoint.

a competent if unremarkable crime novel
'Glitz' is actually one of the more enjoyable Elmore Leonard novels I've read.Too often the author gets overly enamored with gangster talk and too many offbeat characters, much to the detriment of the story.In 'Glitz' the story, about a cop chasing down a killer in the shadows of casinos of Atlantic City and San Juan, is fairly tight and believable.The characters are quite vivid and diverse.However ultimately the book has the feel of a good 'Miami Vice' episode; lots of punch but nothing that really lingers in your mind after it's over.


Bottom line: certainly an okay read but nothing out of the ordinary. ... Read more

Product Description
Bounty Hunters: He is a legend in the rugged Arizona Territory--a U.S. cavalry-turned-army scout--and the only man alive who can bring in the fierce Mimbre Apache called Soldado Viejo. But for David Flynn, tracking down an elusive Indian with a price on his head south of the border is a dangerous business...especially when a cunning outlaw and a murderous bounty hunter dog his path. Now Flynn's riding hard for trouble on a bloody trail of treachery and slaughter in a lawless land where a man's got to watch his back against friend and enemy, red man and white man alike. And if he's Flynn--on the deadliest mission of his career--that means a one-way trip into a sultry desert hell...where the hunter is about to become the hunted...and where one man's struggle for justice has just erupted in the battle of his life....

Forty Lashes Less One: A hellhole like Yuma Prison does all sorts of things to a man. Mostly it makes him want to escape. For two men facing life sentences--Harold Jackson, the only black man behind the walls, and Raymond San Carlos, an Apache halfbreed--a breakout seemed nigh on impossible. That is, until the law gave them two choices: rot in a cell, or track down and bring back the five most ruthless men in Arizona.

Gunsights: Brendan Early and Dana Moon. They were always something to see; real professionals, two of the toughest characters any man ever aimed a gun at. Sure they spent half their time feuding. But once there was the smell of guns and maybe a hint of glory in the air, they teamed up--armed to the teeth to grin down to trouble. Now they were holed up on an Arizona mountain with a copper war primed to explode in their faces. Early and Moon, together they fought through hell. Now they've got a fight to the finish.Amazon.com Review
When Elmore Leonard was just starting out as a writer, a man could make aliving writing Westerns, especially if he was good at it--and ElmoreLeonard was one of the best. In his Western novels, you can see theearliest traces of themes that would emerge in his contemporary crimenovels. Although sheriffs and cavalry men look a little different than copsand G-men, Leonard's outlaws, bounty hunters, and mercenaries are the samein both worlds: tough and determined because they know that their livesdepend on presence of mind and skillful execution of the task at hand, asThe Bounty Hunters and Gunsights reveal. And Leonard's proseis even more stripped down than usual, reduced to the bare essentials ofplot and character. The reader's told exactly what he or she needs to know,and not one bit of information more.

Of the three novels reprinted here (plus the other five in Western Roundup #2 andWestern Roundup #3),Forty Lashes Less One is something of an anomaly. It's set in theYuma Territorial Prison, sure, but the year is 1909. Eventually, it becomesclear that what we're dealing with here is actually a prison-break novel inwhich at least half a dozen factions are playing off each other,with two men at the center: Harold Jackson and Raymond San Carlos, the onlytwo nonwhite convicts, who get put through a grueling physical regimen bya missionary warden who thinks it'll help them develop self-esteem. Withits multiple perspectives and serpentine plot twists, this is ultimately asgood an escape story as Outof Sight--if not better. --Ron Hogan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

This man can really write
It's unusual for me to read a Western. Movies and TV series, great! But Western books? It's rare for me to read one.

I liked SHANE. I liked a book my brother loaned me about 25 or 30 years ago about a lawman who refused to use a gun. I had the privilege of editing for Dusty Rhodes. I also loved TRIED AND TRUE, which I read for Books Unbound, and I apologize to the author for forgetting her name, but I'm writing this review while I'm without Internet access.

Those are the only Westerns I've enjoyed reading, except for one I recently reviewed by Elmore Leonard. I found this one in Shanghai last week, and it's not as good as all that, but it's readable enough. I wouldn't make a special point of finding it, though.

Early Elmore
Elmore Leonard's 'The Bounty Hunters' is one of his first novels.As a western, it is a great tale of cowboys and Indians.Dave Flynn is a former soldier that has an ongoing dislike for a superior officer.This officer sends Flynn and a young lieutenant named Bowers into Mexico to track down Saldado, a rogue apache.From there, 'The Bounty Hunters' unfolds into an expansive western adventure.

Not only do Flynn and Bowers have to track down Saldado, they have to look over their shoulders for Frank Rellis, who Flynn showed up in the bar back in the States.Before Rellis left town, he shot one of Flynn's friends.As they venture into Mexico, they discover a scalper that is taking more than Apache scalps for bounties awarded in the village of Soyopa.Speaking of the village, it has its own problems with a missing family and a corrupt government.Along the way, Flynn finds a love interest.

This book is classic Leonard.It introduces many of the hallmarks that make Leonard novels so enjoyable.It also introduces some of the stock character types (the bad guy that isn't all there, his henchman that makes a turn for the good, the sidekick that comes into his own, etc.).The dialogue is also first rate, although some of the conversation about the apache is a bit generic.My only disappointment came in some of the action scenes that were not really clear as to what was happening.

I recommend this novel for any Leonard fan or fans of Westerns.Its good reading for a plane ride or if you are in need of something to do on a lazy afternoon.When you're done, check out Leonard's crime work.

Leonard's early books almost equal his latest
Elmore Leonard is an interesting author. He's been around since the '50s (the first book in the collection, The Bounty Hunters, was originally published in 1953) and is still as hip and cool as ever. He's also probably had more of his books turned into movies than any other man alive: at least six by my count, and I'm sure I'm missing some. This book is a collection of three of his earlier westerns, the above mentioned The Bounty Hunters, and Forty Lashes Less One and Gunsights. All three novels are recognisably Leonard: you could almost tell who wrote them without reading the author's name on the cover.

The Bounty Hunters has a typical Leonard plot. A cavalry scout and a green US army Lieutenant are sent into Mexico, incognito, to capture a renegade Apache. Complications set in when corrupt Rurales (local Mexican police), a group of angry local villagers, and the title group of bounty hunters (whites who kill Apaches for cash from the Mexican Government) all collide with our two heroes. The one part where this novel fell a bit short for me was in the mild language. In the '50s, Leonard couldn't use profanity or obscenity, and it rings a bit false now.

Forty Lashes Less One is a prison break novel. It's only sort of a Western, being set in 1909, but only the appearance of an automobile breaks the landscape of what would otherwise be a Western. Two convicts, one black, the other an American Indian, are thrown together, first to fight, later as allies, by circumstances beyond their control in a brutal prison in the desert Southwest. Various groups are competing for various things, with a guard who peeks at the women prisoners, a prisoner who pretty much runs the place---he thinks, a new prison warden who wants to redeem those under his charge, and various prisoners scheming to escape, of course. It takes a bit to get going, but the payoff is worth the wait.

Gunsights is about a range war. It's the typical story: the people on the land don't own it, and the land owners don't want them to stay. What makes the story interesting is that the author manages to maneuver two good friends into opposite sides of the fight. Things are reminiscent of The Bounty Hunters; one of the friends is a former army scout, the other's a retired cavalry officer. There are various factions with different agendas wandering through the story: the two men kill several people early on, and spend half the book fighting off their relatives later. The story has a fun and workmanlike progress to it, and you almost can see the ending coming.

All three of these novels are short, all three are good, all three are worth reading. I would recommend this especially for a long plane ride or a short weekend vacation: great escapist reading.

Elmore Leonard always amazes
I have yet to figure out what it is about his writing, but Elmore Leonard creates characters that I cannot stop reading. I just can't put the book down once I start. It's a set of early Westerns that are a must-read fornew Leonard fans. If you loved his more modern creations like RaylanGivens, Chili Palmer, and Ordell Robbie, give his older stuff a try. Maybeit'll even hook you on Westerns as a genre. Excellent stuff. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

It's time to discover Elmore Leonard's western past
I enjoy taking a break from my more usual Louis L'Amour westerns because, let's face it, they do tend to be somewhat formula driven. In this book, Mr Leonard includes some of those classic western features: a green lawman, an evil cattle barron and his henchmen, and ultimately the showdown between the two. But other than that this book, like the other 3 Elmore Leonard westerns I've read, doesn't follow traditional formulas all that much.

The premise is that the town of Randado has decided it doesn't need to wait for the formal legal system of the larger town many miles away so they take action on their own. They appoint their own judge and jury and proceed to drag two Mexicans from their jail cell and hang them. When the deputy sheriff returns, he must confront those that behaved illegally. Most of the novel is the resulting chase, trying to bring the bad guys to justice. I know that sounds pretty much like a formula western novel but it is Mr Leonard's style that makes the difference. His characters are not all black or white but rather colorful, filled with doubts of what course of action to take. In short, they are more "real" than one often finds in the western genre. The plot isn't exactly straight-forward and therefore is not so predictable.

I'll continue to recommend Elmore Leonard's western novels to those who like westerns or those that just like a good story that won't take hours and hours to complete.

Kindle edition review
THE LAW AT RANDADO was a decent western.You could do a lot worse with your reading time.The final showdown was, um... different!

The Kindle edition was very nice, ESPECIALLY the price!(I believe that Kindle books should be priced in this range.) It only had a few typos -no more than you would find in most printed books- and they did not ruin the flow of reading at all.Plus, you'd have to imagine that they can go in and correct them for future readers- a nice bonus for this format.

To skin a cat
A young lawman learns how to do his thing. Follow another's lead, but be your own man. His love interest is less than ideal. And the final scene will surprise those expecting the usual Western movie ending. Leonard rewards intelligence. What a joy.

Flamingly generic
Imagine every Western you've ever seen or read composited into a generic plot, then spit out in some unique form involving a specific place called Randado and a guy named Kirby Frye who just happens to be babyfaced. Do you really care, still? This book isn't bad, it's mediocre. There is no reason to pick it up over another generic Western. The text is periodically amusing, usually easy to read, and sometimes expressive, but the story is devoid of meaning and not all that interesting except to someone who needs to read a generic Western right now or they'll die. I wouldn't recommend this book to a paper pulper.

Another great Leonard western.
In the course of the last month, I've become a big fan of Elmore Leonard's Westerns. I'm new to the Western, late in the game. After a few L'Amour's, a friend put me on to Leonard. He's the very top of the genre, in my view. The dialogue and the action tell the story and make the points about toughness and character, not the sentimental interior thought process of the hero, so common in this genre; at least what I've seen thus far.
Kirby Frye is young and green (as a deputy), but he stands up to the townsmen and Phil Sundeen, the bad cattle baron, much to their surprise. He reminds me a lot of the implacable Roberto Valdez in "Valdez is Coming" (I think Leonard's greatest Western), and there are similar qualities to the story. But this is early Leonard (1954), and he only gets better as time goes on.
We again meet the scoundrel Sundeen and see his fate in Gunsights, a much later book (1979).
It's going to be hard to go back to other Western authors having been introduced to Elmore Leonard this early on! ... Read more

Product Description
Escape From Five Shadows: It was supposed to be impossible. No man could break out of the brutal convict labor camp at Five Shadows. Until they locked up Bowen. He was like dynamite--charged to go off, to explode out of that desert hell so he could clear his name. Already the deadly trackers have caught him, dragged him back through the mesquite and rocks, beat him and left him to rot in the punishment cell. But they can't stop Bowen. He's a different breed, a man who will go to any extreme to escape. Any extreme.

Last Stand at Saber River: A one-armed man stood before Denaman's store, and the girl named Luz was scared. Paul Cable could see that from the rise two hundred yards away, just as he could see that everything had changed while he was away fighting for the Confederacy. He just didn't know how much. Cable and his family rode down to Denaman's store and faced the one-armed man. Then they heard the story, about the Union Army and two brothers--and a beautiful woman--who had taken over Cable's spread and weren't going to give it back. For Paul Cable the war hadn't ended at all. Among the men at Saber River, some would be his enemies, some might have been his friends, but no one was going to take his future away--not with words, not with treachery, and not with guns

The Law at Randado: Kirby Frye was a local boy come home again--with a badge and a reputation in some circles. But to the men with money in Randado, Kirby Frye meant nothing. Twelve upstanding citizens, prompted by a hard-drinking, free-spending cattleman, hanged two of Kirby's prisoners behind his back. Then they laughed in his face. Frye was young, but he was no fool. He took their taunts, took their hired men's blows, and waited. For with a hotheaded sheriff from Tucson and a breed tracker on Kirby's side, it would be three men against many. And what they didn't know about Kirby Frye was that three against many was good enough for him--good enough to go up against their guns, good enough to bring the law back to Randado, and good enough to drive a rich man to his knees.Amazon.com Review
Escape from Five Shadows is another great Elmore Leonard prison-break novel set in the Old West, with Corey Bowen as an innocent manlooking to escape from a work camp run by a sadistic embezzler willing tokill to keep his scheme running. As always with Leonard, there are nothrowaway lines, and success comes to those who act with competence andconviction. In Last Stand at Saber River, a Confederate veteranreturns to his Arizona homestead to find that Yankee mercenaries areoccupying his home. That situation's bound to change, and not peacefully.In The Law at Randado, a young deputy must prove himself to arich man who represents the legal authority in their community. Thesethree short novels from the early stages of Leonard's career are likeblueprints for the crime fiction he would come to master in the 1980s and'90s, and will prove a delightful surprise to any of his fans. If you don'tthink you like Westerns, read any of these stories and you may find yourself reconsidering your taste for the genre. --Ron Hogan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A great Leonard Western
In the course of the last month, I've become a big fan of Elmore Leonard's Westerns. I'm new to the Western, late in the game. After a few L'Amour's, a friend put me on to Leonard. He's the very top of the genre, in my view. The dialogue and the action tell the story and make the points about toughness and character, not the sentimental interior thought process of the hero, so common in this genre; at least what I've seen thus far.
In The Law at Randado (one of the titles in this collection), Kirby Frye is young and green (as a deputy), but he stands up to the townsmen and Phil Sundeen, the bad cattle baron, much to their surprise. He reminds me a lot of the implacable Roberto Valdez in "Valdez is Coming" (I think Leonard's greatest Western), and there are similar qualities to the story. But this is early Leonard (1954), and he only gets better as time goes on.
We again meet the scoundrel Sundeen and see his fate in Gunsights, a much later book (1979).
It's going to be hard to go back to other Western authors having been introduced to Elmore Leonard this early on!

Western fiction may be out of style, but not Elmore Leonard.
Although the author has tended to underrate his earliest work in theWestern genre, later Elmore Leonard crime novels like CITY PRIMEVAL,KILLSHOT (a corker, by the way) and OUT OF SIGHT are certainly influencedby earlier books such as VALDEZ IS COMING. He will often include referencesto the movie Westerns that were made from his stories in the novels. Thefamous restaurant confrontation between Chili Palmer and astuntman-bodyguard in GET SHORTY imitates a similiar scene in theLeonard-written Clint Eastwood movie JOE KIDD (which Chili, a true moviebuff, remembers vividly). The very funny novel PRONTO gets even funnierwhen you realize that Leonard is, to a great degree, satirizing traditionalWestern heroics and the conventions of a genre that he truly understandsand loves. I can't imagine any fan of Elmore Leonard's - or the AmericanWestern - being disappointed in THE LAW AT RANDADO (my personal favorite),HOMBRE (which won the Golden Spur Award for the 100 best Western novels ofall time) or VALDEZ IS COMING. It's great to have these books back in printin any form (as well as the new set of Western shorts THE TONTO WOMAN) andcollectors should move fast - these tend to be taken out of print veryquickly. Don't buy one - buy all three!! ... Read more

Product Description
Valdez Is Coming: The shotgun went off aimed at the wrong man, held in the wrong man's hands. A crowd had gathered to drink and laugh and shoot down at the old shack where a supposed killer was hiding out. Then Bob Valdez, humble town constable and stage-line shotgun rider, walked down to the shack. Moments later Valdez had killed an innocent man, and the crowd, sapped of its bloodlust, wandered off. But for Bob Valdez it was far from over. He wanted the wealthy landowner who had enginnered the scene to give the dead man's woman money for a wrongful death. They laughed at Bob Valdez. They taunted him and beat him until Valdez had no choice but to come back to them again. Only this time Valdez was coming with three guns--three guns and the will to teach a rich man's army how costly atonement can get.

Hombre: Set in Arizona mining country, Hombre is the story of a stagecoach held up by outlaws. One of the passengers, John Russell, is a white man who was raised partly by Apache Indians, and knows first hand the indignities suffered by them at the hands of the whites who control the reservations. He has also learned to live and fight like an Apache. Combatting the outlaws, Russell finds himself faced with the decision of whether to save only himself or to save his fellow white passengers. John Russell becomes the key player in a drama examining man's responsibilities to his fellow man, acted out on a dusty stage in America's Wild West.Amazon.com Review
"The basic structure of an Elmore Leonard plot," Larry Beinhart explains inHow to Write a Mystery, "is that a big tough guy pushes a littletough guy. The little guy doesn't take it. He shoves back. The little guyis the kinda guy, the harder you shove him, the more trouble he's gonna be.In the end, the big guy really wishes he'd picked someone else to shove.When Leonard started he wrote westerns, and in those early books you cansee the bones without an X-ray. I recommend Valdez Is Coming toanyone who wants to understand the structure of an Elmore Leonardnovel."

When part-time constable Bob Valdez tries to put together a compensationpackage for a woman whose husband was killed in a case of mistakenidentity, the matter quickly escalates into a brutal struggle to regainhonor and dignity. There's not a wasted moment; every scene, every line ofdialogue moves the story forward to the inevitable showdown where, asValdez says, "you get one time, mister, to prove who you are." The secondnovel in this volume, Hombre--perhaps Leonard's best-known Westernnovel--is just as relentlessly plot-driven, with characters that revealtheir psychological complexity strictly through what they do and say asthey struggle to make their way to safety across a hot desert in theaftermath of a stagecoach holdup. The only difference between these twonovels and classic Leonard crime novels like Get Shorty or Out ofSight is the time and place. Other than that, you've got two classictales of hard-boiled professionals who know that every step they take is amatter of laying their reputations and their lives on the line. --RonHogan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Hard-boiled westerns
I knew Leonard only by reputation and the movie "Get Shorty". I thought I'd pick him up someday. Meanwhile, I started to read westerns, and picked up a few L'Amours. Louis is good. But a friend told me that Leonard wrote westerns before mystery/thrillers. Try him, he said. I did, first with Valdez is Coming, then with Hombre.
These two books are the best westerns I've read, and I'm reading the rest of Leonards. Stripped-down dialogue, steady action, and an atmosphere and voice that is totally captivating. The ending of Valdez is Coming is powerful and perfect, and I reread it several times. Hombre has great action and a strong moral message, but delivered sparely and without the sometimes windy sentimentality found in L'Amour. These two novels are very, very good indeed.

Leonard was great before he was cool
I picked this book up at San Francisco International Airport (which has a great bookstore in the United Airlines terminal) thinking I'd like to relax with a western. I have always loved Elmore Leonard's work, so it seemedlike a fit to choose one by him instead of old Louis (another master). I'vegot to say Leonard HAS IT as a western writer. VALDEZ IS COMING isoutstanding. The story is the kind I love: picks you up and takes you for aride -- non-stop. I think what I liked best about this novel is that Valdezis such a great character, and that the story is absolutely relentless inits pacing. HOMBRE is great as well, also relentless, though I prefer the"voice" of VALDEZ over HOMBRE. So who knew that Leonard was notonly THE master at dialogue, but also dynamite at characterization in avery literate western. Read it. You'll love it. I liked it so much that Ijust now ordered Western Roundup numbers 1 & 2. Thank you ElmoreLeonard and thank you Amazon for making it so easy to be a discerningreader. Aloha! ... Read more

Product Description

Jack Ryan always wanted to play pro ball. But he couldn't hit a curveball, so he turned his attention to less legal pursuits. A tough guy who likes walking the razor's edge, he's just met his match -- and more -- in Nancy. She's a rich man's plaything, seriously into thrills and risk, and together she and Jack are pure heat ready to explode. But when simple housebreaking and burglary give way to the deadly pursuit of a really big score, the stakes suddenly skyrocket. Because violence and double-cross are the name of this game -- and it's going to take every ounce of cunning Jack and Nancy possess to survive . . . each other.

Customer Reviews (22)

Maybe Not Leonard's Best - But Still Good
The Big Bounce was an early (1969) crime novel for which Elmore Leonard had trouble finding a publisher. It isn't Leonard's best novel, but it is still an entertaining book that would make a great read for the beach or a lazy Sunday afternoon.

The plot concerns an ex-baseball player named Jack Ryan who ends up working at a resort in Michigan's "thumb" region. Ryan meets a femme fatale named Nancy who is an excitement addict - she gets a "bounce" each time she breaks a rule. Of course, Nancy is a beauty - readers learn that she was once voted "Miss Perky Pickle" - haha. When Jack meets her, Nancy is the kept woman of a wealthy man from whom she plans to steal $50,000 cash - with Jack's help.

Though the novel is an early effort from Leonard, it has his typical strengths. There are several vivid characters to keep the reader interested. Also, Leonard makes the setting come alive. Finally, there is enough action to keep the book from bogging down - I found that the 300+ pages turned easily.

While I like the Big Bounce, there are some negatives. Readers may feel disappointed in the way that Leonard ends the novel. He seems to have everything set up for a great conclusion, but the ending is mediocre - at best. Also, Nancy is extremely unlikeable. In later novels, Leonard greatly improved the depth and realism of his female characters.

I am surprised by the negative reviews on Amazon.com. The Big Bounce is not perfect, but it is a solid, readable crime novel. Leonard's fan should read it.

Big Bounce - Little Story
The prolific output of crime fiction writer Elmore Leonard somehow eluded me, and there is a possibility I took on the wrong book for my first encounter. He's written some 35 novels, and "The Big Bounce" at its release more than thirty years ago represented his move away from westerns.
The story holds up surprisingly well, despite its age, and - if not for references to then-current Detroit baseball players and the prices of homes - it could have been written last year. Baseball is the background of Jack Ryan, a washed-up minor leaguer who has fallen into petty crime.
He's not the brightest crayon in the box, but he's colorful enough to make up for it. Immediately after accepting a handyman's job, he meets a high-roller's mistress who believes Jack and his criminal background are the ticket to the scamming of her Sugar Daddy's payroll.
Jack isn't so easily convinced, although he has a tough time saying no to Nancy, who is bored with the life of the idle rich. Her idea of fun is throwing rocks through beach house windows and then running away when the lights come on.
Leonard's casual style makes it easy to fall in with his characters, wondering to what degree the thrill-seeking Nancy will go before her actions will finally bring her down, and marveling at Jack's ability to float along at life's fringes. The strength of "The Big Bounce" is in its characters, but unfortunately, there is little in the way of plot to keep the story heading toward a finish. That may be the reason the book has no conclusion. You turn the last page looking for the rest. There isn't any more.
To appreciate his writing style, "The Big Bounce" is a ball, but as a well-plotted story, it simply falls flat.

Lesser Leonard
I am an avid Elmore Leonard fan and have lost count of the number of books of his that I have read.Some of them rank with the best crime fiction ever written.However, this is not one of them.In fact, this is the first one I have read that is actually bad.The main problem is the very thin plot, which Leonard all too frequently compensates for with flashbacks to the character's earlier life, which have nothing whatever to do with the plot.It is obvious that he does this just to fill space and stretch this short story out to book length.

That having been said, I must say that I liked the book's ending.It was surprising and abrupt.But this book is only for Dutch-ophiles who may be curious to see what the master's early work was like.

Don't buy this book!
The most astonishing and strange thing about this book I find are the quotes from newspapers saying it's a great book. When I finished the book I thought the clue, story and good ending everyone is talking about were simply missing as I bought it secondhand on a trip trough China. I found out that the book really has no ending, no suspense, no clue and no good reason te read it. Too bad I just found out after I finished it. It's really a question of whether it should be called a story. I have no clue why someone would read or write it, as it is about as interesting as listening in on a conversation between some dull people on a train.

Meaningless, without a center, disappointing
Leonard's style is to create strong, engaging characters and "see what happens." This story has neither interesting characters, nor does very much happen. Leonard is also famous for looking into the lives of petty crooks - but these are among the pettiest. A couple of selfish and self-indulgent losers get their kicks throwing rocks through the windows of homes. The readers are invited to giggle with glee at the stupid fools who live within, and stumble into the night to see what has happened. I tossed this book after reading the first half - a first for me. I have read every Elmore Leonard I could get my hands on. But this one, I couldn't wait get rid of.Skip this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Last Stand at Sabre River
Last Stand at Sabre River is a standard western in a good sense. A former confederate soldier returns to his ranch with his family to find it occupied by a North State supporter who do not intend to return it to the rightful owner. A range war is the result and evil powers see their chance to interfere for their own benefit. Elmore Leonard is a master storyteller. He keeps the plot simple and unaffected and his language is sort of dry and dusty which goes very well along with the story. I recommend all Leonards westerns along with this one.
Mik Breuning

It's Mine and I'll Fight to Get it Back
Paul Cable survives the civil war to find out someone has taken over his little ranch.It takes all of his wit and ability, determination and guts to fight back so he and his family can finally live.Leonard is a great writer. The person who rated this poorly should open his eyes and mind when he reads.

Not the best
LS at SR is not Leonard's best. After reading Valdez and Hombre, I was disappointed that the dialogue was not as vivid as those two. Characters were a little generic too. In fact, you might call this one a little formulaic. Your typical western justice type novel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

ELMORE LEONARDS 10 RULES OF WR
This book was so low on content that it definitely was not worth the price of purchase.The illustrations were not that interesting or well-done in my opinion.
The 10 Rules were helpful but needed more explanation and applications.
Elmore is usually very funny.Not this time.The joke was on me --- and my wallet.

Short writing course
A unique, thick paper, short copy book on writing. It did inspire me to try to write a novel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A mafia widow's struggle for a life of her own
Elmore Leonard (EL) has situated many of his crime novels in Detroit in summer and in Florida in winter. This book is about Karen, born in Detroit, but widowed for a second time while living in Florida, as the wife of Frank DiCilia, a taciturn, semi-retired member of the mafia. She is only 44, still looks great and would like to get on with her life. However, the few men with whom she had innocent dates or dinners since her husband's demise, never called her back. She learns what she is worth financially from her husband's lawyer, and the conditions attached:she is rich but Frank is ruling from the grave, saying that if Karen chooses a new partner the inheritance arrangements are null and void. She will be on her own. No four million dollar trust fund released in monthly instalments, no house and other property, no nothing...
Enters Cal Maguire, a former con man from Detroit. Will he be able to arrange the ways and means (the scam) that will give Karen more freedom and full access to her inheritance? Of course, if he fails, both of them will get killed for sure. Woman readers especially should read this book and decide who they identify most with, and what they would do in Karen's shoes. Obey and live in comfort, alone, or take a gamble?
Many of EL's books have been turned into Hollywood movies. He is a brilliant plotter and a superior writer of dialogue. "Gold Coast" has been filmed with David Caruso (CSI) as the con man from Detroit. Finally, only some of ELs books are situated in Detroit or Florida. "Mr. Majestyk" takes place in Arizona, and many of his later books do so in other states or outside the US, in full or in part, in Rwanda, Puerto Rico, Djibouti... The Djibouti novel is due for release in August 2010. This book is vintage EL enjoyment.

Elmore's Best!
I've read 20 of Elmore's 40 books, and thus far, Gold Coast remains my favorite. I find the bad guy in this particular book endlessly facsinating and hilarious!

Gold Coast Not Solid Gold
Elmore Leonard's Gold Coast starts out solid, but weakens about half way through.This plot had so much potential that it made the ending an even bigger let down than if the book had been mediocre all the way through.

The first half is likely to hold your interest and the characters are quirky, strong, and solid.But mid-way through there is a lot of repetition and the sense that it should be coming to a conclusion long before this. You just want it to move on.But there is a sense that with such a good set up it is worth hanging on for what you expect to be a fantastic finish.

But, alas, all that glitters is not gold and the ending is extremely disappointing.I was expecting a great twist and something unexpected and creative.Instead, it was as if Leonard was tired of the whole thing himself and just stuck an ending on because he didn't want to make the effort to come with anything good.

I would recommend reading it; it is entertaining if somewhat redundant and slow toward the middle.But plan to be disappointed as you finish it up.

How it pains me to write a bad review for Leonard!
This one got off to a great start and I loved the Florida setting, with the protagonist being the half hearted worker at the Seaworld-like park. The story builds quickly, the dialogue is great and you get ready for another Elmore Leonard wild ride, but then it just fizzles. It really comes off to me as a rough draft. If not for the order of printing, I'd believe it was a first version of Tishomingo Blues or Maximum Bob. The plot just gets too twisted for no reason and the reader loses interest, which should never happen in such a short novel. I was anxious for it to end, not to find out what happens, just so I could go to the next novel.

Considering the ending, I don't really think the blurb on the back fits the story, but more the way it should have been.

good premise, weak ending
Like many Leonard novels, this one had a great beginning, great introduction of characters, etc. but it just fumbles apart by the end. There's so much pointless and confusing plotting in the last 50 pages that I got tired of trying to figure out what was going on. By the end, none of it mattered anyway. Still some good parts and funny exchanges but I have a hard time recommending it. It's disappointing to spend time on something like this and get cheated with a slack ending. ... Read more

Product Description
After one triumph and one flop, Mafia loanshark-turned-Hollywood producer Chili Palmer is desperate for another hit...of the celluloid sort. And when a similarly relocated former mob associate takes a hit of the bullet-in-the-brain variety while they're power-lunching, Chili begins to see all kinds of story possibilities. The whacked recording company mogul's midday demise is leading Chili into the twisted world of rock stars, pop divas, and hip-hop gangstas, which is rife with drama, jealousy, and betrayal -- all the stuff that makes big box office. Tinsel Town had better take cover, because Chili Palmer's working on another movie. And that's when people tend to die.

Be Cool surpasses its original because it is so self-consciously anovel about sequels, about the sometimes cowardice that limits thecreativity of the American film industry. It is hard to imagine how Leonardcould top the multilayered satire/crime novel/exposé. One onlyhopes for a sequel. Fans of Be Cool might want to check out music from The Stone Coyotes, the band that served as Leonard'smodel in the book. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (88)

A Sequel that's as Good as the Original
Chili Palmer is a former loan shark who has now relocated to Hollywood and is a player in the movie business, because he'd been successful with his first movie, "Get Leo," but the sequel tanked. He's trolling for new ideas with former crime associate, Tommy Athens, when Athens is murdered in cold blood - a mob hit, apparently. Chili has seen the killer and is very likely next on his list.

When he gets home he finds a man shot to death in his apartment, he realizes that both the dead man and the murderer were there to get him. The second hit man shot the first thinking he was Chili.

Much of the enjoyment in this story is the way Leonard uses events in Chili's life to give his hero material for his screenplay. The characters function both as themselves and actors in the film. Fiction within fiction.

And some of them are very funny: A black record producer who wants respect; a gigantic gay black bodyguard, who says he's Samoan; a bunch of Russian Mafia types and a streetwise collection of gangsta rappers known as Ropa Dope. From this rough material, Chilli must put together the movie that will save his career.

It's been said before and I'll say it again. Elmore Leonard is a genius. He can do no wrong. Like GET SHORTY, BE COOL is a keeper, a book you'll want to read again and again.

Better then Get Shorty, but Jeez
This is a good book, but it leaves me with a real dilemma.
There is embedded in this book Leonard's unpublished 11'th rule of writing:
"I don't think of a plot and then put characters in it. I start with different characters and see where they take me." This gives me a headache. I see what he's talking about, I see how he builds his stories (completely opposed to the smart heads, and parenthetically me to now ). But its wacky. What, I'm some-posed to have a weed party every other night with people shooting off their ideas for the plot? I don't have that kind of imagination. This guy is just too good. Dutch I love you.

Be Cool:worms-eye view of pop music publishing
Be CoolI enjoyed this title, as one completely unfamiliar with the pop music authoring and publishing scene.It's an unusual setting for an attention-grabbing murder mystery, and there's enough violence and intrigue to keep you turning the pages.Not much sex, but what there is, is honest.I did think it just a bit longish, and the main character simply too capable and connected for belief.As for the music-world characters' believability -- how would I know?Recommended.

Better than the movie
I am not a big fiction reader but I have found a new favorite author. This book is a very easy read and moves very well.

Be Cool, John Travolta
Another in the great series of Elmore Leonard crime stories, Be Cool is the sequel to Get Shorty, and an innovative story within a story.When the story opens, Chili Palmer has been through a successful film project, and a failed sequel, that have taken him from Brooklyn/Miami gangster to top of the world in Hollywood to just another guy.

Then things get really interesting. After Chili's lunch date is gunned down in front of his eyes, he decides to take control of the deceased's record company and manage a band, described as AC DC meets Patsy Cline.Very quickly Chili makes enemies with the Russian mob, the scorned band manager, his gay Somoan bodyguard, gun-toting rappers, and the police. He solves the problem by setting up his enemies on a collision course with each other.

Elmore knows the world of Hollywood production and deal-making, and shows how a guy from Brooklyn makes all the world a stage.Chili Palmer is only looking to find a good story for a movie, and if that requires crossing some bad guys, well, let's see how it plays out. ... Read more

Product Description
The first everchildren's book fromthe NEW YORK TIMESbestselling master of contemporary fiction

Buddy's an aging movie star.Antwan's a rough-and-tumble loner.And Miss Betty, the show girl, is a princess.

Different in nearly every way, they share one thing: they're all dogs...at heart.

Though Antwan's the leader of his pack and loves hanging in the hills, feasting from Hollywood's chicest garbage cans, he's too curious a coyote to turn down his new friend Buddy's invitation to see how the other half lives. Convincing his new human family he's a mysterious pooch named Timmy, Antwan quickly becomes part of the brood.

But as Antwan's star rises, Buddy's spirits fall. Past his prime to humans, Buddy wants to chuck the luxury and live in the wild -- if Antwan will show him how. To cheer up their pal, Antwan and Miss Betty concoct a daring plan, setting off a chain of uproarious adventures that will teach them all a few new tricks about friendship, family, and life.

Filled with the spot-on dialogue and clever plotting that have made Elmore Leonard top dog among writers of every breed, A COYOTE'S IN THE HOUSE reveals the inner life of canines -- wild and domesticated -- in a fresh, funny tale for the young and the young at heart. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

3 stars
This book is nicely written but I think the ending was a little unsatisfying. There really was no climax, which was disappointing too. It used to be my favorite book when I was in 4th grade and I've re-read it yesterday and found that my standards were much lower when I was younger.

Leonard for Kids. . .
Elmore Leonard is, of course, renowned for his realistic adult crime books, in which his amazing dialogue conveys the seamy side of the criminal caper genre.When I saw he had written a book for kids, I knew it would be perfect for my 12-year old son,who craves the dark humor and lack of sachrine that typify Leonard.

We listened to this book together on tape.It is not a crime caper at all, but we were not disappointed.The book is considerably less dark than his work for adults (a change I frankly enjoyed), but the lean Leonard writing, the skill at avoiding undue sentiment and the dark humor all carried over.We couldn't put it down, so to speak.A clear winner.

There was one matter, though, that disconcerted me.The book is concerned with two worlds:the domestic, behave-yourself world of Dogs, and the dangerous, do-what-you-want world of Coyotes.For some reason, Leonard injected race into this characterization--the Coyotes seem African-American.They have black names (Antwan,Cletus) and use black vernacular -- words like "homes" and "crew" for friend and gang, sister for female Coyote and so on. This Coyotes-as-African-Americans is reenforced in the book-on-tape version by the vocalization of Neil Patrick Harris.The Coyotes are not portrayed negatively in the book---ultimately their freedom and independence is given the highest value, and the Coyote hero is consistently cool and able.But there is a stereotyped aspect to the cultural characterization, and I found it unsettling---not quite sure what to make of it or why Leonard put it in there.There's some subtle racial image being portrayed here that parents may at least want to be aware of.

A Coote's in the House
I was surprised at how well the book looked.I often get paperback books through Amazon, but this on was hard cover and in excellent condition.My nephew loved the fact that he had "A book like the ones in the Library" (his words) made him very happy, and me the favorite Aunt.

The Coyote Has Left the Book and Entered My Thoughts!
I was going to buy this book for my friend for her birthday. But after I bought it and started reading it, I couldn't let go of it! So I ended up buying 2 copies. One for my friend, and one for me.

This book is so funny and I love how, for a change, the book tells the story from an animal's point of view. It really got you thinking about how a coyote's life is compared to a pet dog's. This book is great for reading when you're bored. You'll start off planning to read for only a few minutes but then you get addicted and end up reading for hours!

....................................
I really liked this book. I don't usually like books with talking animals, but as I read on, I found it's not really about dogs, it could relate to people, us, as well. I liked this book, and hope you like it too. ... Read more

Product Description
Three novels: The Hunted, Swag and Mr. Majestyk which was made into a movie starring Charles Bronson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Mr. Majestyk
Elmore Leonard is an acquired taste.Long on action, short on character development, this novel is a fun, brisk read.The good guy is good, the bad guys are bad, and the good guy wins.This one was made into a movie with Charles Bronson, and I remember the truck was incredible.A really ugly and indestructible Ford.

Dutch is always good
Elmore Leonard is one of the alltime best crime novelists, or novelist for any genre. His dialog is as good as it gets. You read his books and don't feel as though you're reading - it's more like you're living his stories. This 3 novel book is worth every penny.But if you really want to read a good one of his, try "Stick". ... Read more

Product Description
Kill Shot (1989) ... Read more

Product Description

"Dennis Lenahan the high diver would tell people that if you put a fifty-cent piece on the floor and looked down at it, that's what the tank looked like from the top of that eighty-foot steel ladder."

Things are going along okay with Dennis' gig at the Tishomingo Lodge & Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, "the Casino Capital of the South," until the day he looks down from the high-dive platform and witnesses a mob hit -- Dixie style.

Turns out there was a second witness, Robert Taylor from Detroit, who carries a picture of his great-granddaddy's lynching along with a gun in a briefcase and listens to Delta blues while cruising the back roads of Mississippi in his black Jaguar. Robert works for a man from up north who has come to play General Grant in a Civil War battle reenactment, and like Dennis, Robert has a death-defying act of his own: he's sleeping with his boss's wife.

Adding further intrigue are the women. Vernice lures Dennis with the whitest thighs he's ever seen. Diane comes to do a story on Dennis and wants to take him to Memphis. And still another comes along to give Dennis the surprise of his life. But it's the scams Robert Taylor plays that move the action through all kinds of unexpected twists and turns.

Tishomingo Blues rings true with the bestselling author's dead-on dialogue, capturing the flavor and rhythms of the South, and finds him plotting at his unpredictable best.

Customer Reviews (3)

Lights, Camera, Action!!!
I read Tishomingo Blues over two years and am wondering why it has not been made into a major motion picture.Elmore Leonard has a mix of so many colorful characters with a devilish plot.I think Samuel L. Jackson would be a perfect choice as Robert and Thomas Jane as Dennis.Who wouldn't want to see a bunch of meth dealing rednecks gathering for a Civil War re-enactment?

page turner!
i loved this book. there's so much in this book. the characters stay true to themselves and even give you a bit of a suprise at the end. i don't watn to spoil it for anyone..so i just want to say that it was a definite page turner. it starts out with the famous diver that witnesses a murder and then read the rest for yourself. it's great. what i loved about the book is that you don't know where it's going to take you...there are so many ways that it can go that you're not really sure how the characters will handle the situation. especially with the mysterious stranger that the diver befriends. you'll read into the night for the ending.

Incredibly bad
Dennis (think Travolta in his buff days of long ago) is an incredible high-diving daredevil who trains on booze and pot, and incredibly, every incredibly-credulous bimbo in this movie treatment, er... novel, loves him.

Things are going along okay with his gig at the Tishomingo Lodge & Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, until he witnesses a Dixie hillbilly mob hit. Turns out there was a second witness, Robert Taylor (think Sam Jackson in Pulp Fiction) from Detroit, who carries a gun in a briefcase and listens to Marvin Pontiac while cruising the back roads of Mississippi in his black Jaguar. Robert is incredibly cool, incredibly knowledgeable, butincredibly stupid ... he sleeps with his incredibly stupid mob boss's incredibly stupid wife, Anna Banana.

Robert wants to take on the Cornbread Cosa Nostra and wants Dennis in on it. To complicate matters there is the incredible sex with the incredible women. Vernice, a waitress using speed to lose an unwanted 40 pounds,lures Dennis with the whitest thighs he's ever seen. She's hot. And Diane, a talking head, comes to do a story on him and immediately wants to take him to Memphis for nookie. So you know she's hot. And then there's the hot, hot Loretta, the easily-bedded farm girl wife of the stupid, abusive villain.

But hey, it's the incredibly clever scams the incredibly learned Robert Taylor plays on this incredibly stupid cast of characters, if not this incredibly stupid region of the country, that moves the action through all kinds of incredibly unexpected twists and turns. Incredibly, before he knows it, Dennis has agreed to join Robert in incredible civil war battle reenactment, which leads to a showdown between the incredible bad guys and the incredible really bad guys.

Incredibly, the incredible Elmore Leonard wrote this, but didn't finish it, and incredibly some readers like it. Incredible. ... Read more

Product Description

Legendary New York Times bestselling author Elmore Leonard returns with three of his favorite characters: Jack Foley from Out of Sight, Cundo Rey from Labrava, and Dawn Navarro from Riding the Rap.