Synopses & Reviews
Carlos Webster was fifteen in the fall of 1921, the first time he came face-to-face with a nationally known criminal. A few weeks later, he killed his first man—a cattle thief who was rustling his dad's stock. Now Carlos, called Carl, is the hot kid of the U.S. Marshals Service, one of the elite manhunters currently chasing the likes of Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd across America's Depression-ravaged heartland.
Carl wants to be the country's most famous lawman. Jack Belmont, the bent son of an oil millionaire, wants to be public enemy number one. Tony Antonelli of True Detective magazine wants to write about this world of cops and robbers, molls and speakeasies from perilously close up. Then there are the hot dames—Louly and Elodie—hooking their schemes and dreams onto dangerous men. And before the gunsmoke clears, everybody just might end up getting exactly what he or she wished for.
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“This is a novel that... is all about style, literary and otherwise.” New York Times Book Review
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“THE HOT KID brims with the sly humor, sparse prose and razor dialogue we expect from the master” Los Angeles Times Book Review
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“The writing is pitch-perfect throughout...its all pure Leonard, and that means its pure terrific.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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Clear, fast-paced and masterfully structured.” Philadelphia Inquirer
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“The HOT KID is Elmore Leonard- a master- at his best.” Oklahoma City Oklahoman
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“...expertly crafted, deftly balanced.” Houston Chronicle
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“...Rips along like a bandits getaway car...THE HOT KID is Leonard at his best.” Tulsa World
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“...delivers the goods in a top-notch amalgam of sagebrush western and mob drama.” Lexington Herald-Leader
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“Theres nothing Elmore Leonard doesnt know about stylish writing, and THE HOT KID is him at his compressed best.” Detroit Free Press
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“Wonderfully funny and hair-raising...THE HOT KID is splendid.” Providence Sunday Journal
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“Elmore Leonard unspools the definitive portrait of 1930s lowlife” Boston Sunday Globe (Stephen King)
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Praise for MR.PARADISE:“The dialogue and the characters crackle ...MR. PARADISE is a perfect crime caper from a master.” Detroit Free Press
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“Smart writing about dumb crooks.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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“His 40th crime noveland he just keeps getting better and better. ” Deseret News
Synopsis
The undisputed master of the crime novel strikes again with this powerfully entertaining story, set in 1920s Oklahoma, that introduces one of the toughest lawmen ever to come out of the west. . . .
Carlos Webster was 15 the day he witnessed his first murder--but it wouldn't be his last. It was also his first introduction to the notorious gunman, Emmet Long. By the time Carlos is 20, he's being sworn in as a deputy United States marshal and now goes by the name Carl. As for Emmet, he's robbing banks with his new partner, the no-good son of an oil millionaire.
Carl Webster and Emmet Long may be on opposite sides of the law but their long-time game of cat and mouse will turn them both into two of the most famous names in crime and punishment.
About the Author
Elmore Leonard wrote forty-five novels and nearly as many western and crime short stories across his highly successful career that spanned more than six decades. Some of his bestsellers include Road Dogs, Up in Honeys Room, The Hot Kid, Mr. Paradise, Tishomingo Blues, and the critically acclaimed collection of short stories Fire in the Hole. Many of his books have been made into movies, including Get Shorty, Out of Sight, and Rum Punch, which became Quentin Tarantinos Jackie Brown. Justified, the hit series from FX, is based on Leonards character Raylan Givens, who appears in Riding the Rap, Pronto, Raylan and the short story “Fire in the Hole”. He was a recipient of the National Book Foundations Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, the Lifetime Achievement Award from PEN USA, and the Grand Master Award of the Mystery Writers of America. He was known to many as the ‘Dickens of Detroit and was a long-time resident of the Detroit area.