Mr. Majestyk, by Elmore Leonard

(pb; 1974)

From the back cover

"Once Vincent Majestyk crashed through a jungle with an M-15 and a sack of grenades. Now he works under the open skies of the American Southwest, growing melons on his farm. But a strong-arming punk came to Majestyk's fields and set off a violent chain reaction that left Majestyk without a friend in the world -- except for one tough, beautiful woman. Heading to prison, Majestyk finds himself shackled beside a notorious Mafia hit man. And now a man who's been searching for peace and a man who's been looking for an angle are about to be set free by a violent breakout: making the farmer and the hit man each other's only hope -- and worst possible enemy."


Review

Solid, straight-forward action novel from Leonard, one of the best and more prolific crime novelists in the writing business. There are few surprises, but the writing is worthwhile, with a touch of quirkiness here and there.

Good read.

The film, starring Charles Bronson as Vince Majestyk, was released in the U.S. on July 17, 1974. Al Letieri played Frank Renda. Linda Cristal played Nancy Chavez. Lee Purcell played Wiley. Paul Koslo played Bobby Kopas. Taylor Lacher played Gene Lundy.

Richard Fleischer directed, from a script by script-uncredited book author Elmore Leonard.