Synopses & Reviews
A highly entertaining collection of never-before-seen stories and several previously published pieces from the bestselling master of crime fiction Elmore Leonard
Over his long and illustrious career, Elmore Leonard was recognized as one of the greatest crime writers of all time, the author of dozens of bestselling books—many adapted for the big screen—as well as a master of short fiction. A superb stylist whose crisp, tight prose crackles with trademark wit and sharp dialogue, Leonard remains the standard for popular fiction and a literary model for writers of every genre.
Marked by his unmistakable humor and grit, the stories in this collection—produced early in his career, when he was making his name particularly with westerns—reveal a writer in transition. In these tales Leonard explores new voices and locations, from the bars of small border towns in New Mexico to the seedy clubs of Detroit, from a film set in Hollywood where a struggling actor collapses in a valiant death again and again to a hotel in Southern Spain where oblivious, vacationing American couples drink the night away, and even to a military base in Kuala Lumpur and a small town in Mississippi during the Civil War. The stories also introduce us to classic Leonard characters, such as aging lawman Charlie Martz, who must face an old rival who returns seeking revenge, and weary former matador Eladio Montoya, who spends exhausting days working as a migrant farmer.
Devoted Leonard aficionados and fans new to his fiction will marvel at these early works that reveal a developing artist on the cusp of greatness.
Review
“Like Hemingway, Leonard excels in dramatizing the point at which apparently friendly mano a mano joshing threatens to erupt in violence. . . . Interesting [] for the signs and promises of the authors future laconic command of dialogue and action and his knowing, lazy, wryly amused trademark voice.” Kirkus Reviews
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“Here we see a master craftsman in his apprenticeship. . . . Already Leonards imagination is pulled between present and past, between Midwest, West, and abroad, interests that would define his career. . . . Die-hard fans will find this one difficult to resist.” Keir Graff, < i=""> Booklist <>
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“Quirky, tough, humorous, and always surprising characters. . . . Theres a reason Leonard has been labeled one of the best crime writers in America and why his clipped and witty dialog and economical writing style have found their way to television and film. Hes just a great storyteller.” Library Journal (starred review)
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“This book is honest and its raw, and we can picture Leonard so vividly working. . . . A meaningful insight into the mind of a burgeoning writer who would one day become an international bestseller. . . . Its fascinating and inspiring to be invited to have a peek.” New York Journal of Books
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“Why its hot: The great writer of Westerns and crime novels died in 2013, so this posthumous collection is a bonus.” USA Today
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“The collection abounds with signs of the writer to come.” Newsday
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“Gunslingers and suits dreamed up well before Get Shorty and Out of Sight are sketches of the heroes and villains for whom Leonard would become known.” O, the Oprah Magazine
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“These very early stories of Elmore Leonard exhibit a real understanding of how to create interesting characters, structure settings that are believable, and tell stories that are compelling and realistic.” San Francisco Book Review
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“Even [Leonards] breeziest efforts have a way of nailing our conflicted culture in all its stubborn glory and misfit dreams. “Charlie Martz and Other Stories” clues us into the dreams he was having when life in America was, at least on the surface, less turbulent.” Chicago Tribune
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“[Leonard] writes characters like no one else. . . . Even before he mastered the [] gritty style hes most known for, he was able to evoke subtle tones and achingly beautiful moods. . . . These are exceptional stories written by an artist at work and at play.” Shelf Awareness for Readers
Review
“Theres much to welcome in this posthumous assortment by an author Stephen King hailed as, “the great American writer.” . . . This collection certainly serves up another batch of those gravelly, authentic, fringe-dwelling lives.” CriminalElement.com
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.