Raylan by Elmore Leonard

(hb; 2012: third book in the Raylan Givens series)

 From the inside flap

"With the closing of the Harlan County, Kentucky, coal mines, marijuana has become the biggest cash crop in the state. A hundred pounds of it can gross $300,000, but that's chump change compared to the quarter million a human body can get you - especially when it's sold off piece by piece. 

"So when Dickie and Coover Crowe, dope-dealing brothers known for sampling their own supply, decide to branch out into the body business, it's up to U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens to stop them. But Raylan isn't your average marshal: he's the laconic, Stetson-wearing, fast-drawing lawman who juggles dozens of cases at a time and always shoots to kill. But by the time Raylan finds out who's making the cuts, he's lying naked in a bathtub, with Layla, the cool transplant nurse, about to go for his kidneys. 

"The bad guys are mostly gals this time around: Layla, the nurse who collects kidneys and sells them for ten grand apiece; Carol Conlan, a hard-charging coal-mine executive not above ordering a cohort to shoot point-blank a man who's standing in her way; and Jackie Nevada, a beautiful sometimes college student who can outplay anyone at the poker table and who suddenly finds herself being tracked by a handsome U.S. marshal." 

 Review

 

Fans of the cable show Justified will likely recognize the events of Raylan as those of Justified's second season. That didn't take away from my enjoyment of this burn-through read; rather, my familiarity with the characters and their frenemy-eseque relationships and dealings deepened my appreciation of this novel - it's mostly because of Leonard's spot-on, reader-immersive and quotable writing, of course, which has earned him many accolades (and deservedly so). 

 Raylan is an excellent novel, worth owning. Followed by Peter Leonard's Raylan Goes to Detroit.

When the Women Come Out to Dance by Elmore Leonard

(hb; 2002: story anthology) 

 Overall review: Superlative, dialogue-snappy anthology that seamlessly blends humor, neo-noir, Western and general crime fiction, with characters that are often larger than life and generally memorable. There's not a lackluster piece in this collection, though some stand out more than others. Worth checking out, this. 

 Standout stories: 

 1.) "Sparks": An arson investigator (Joe Canavan), working for an insurance company, interviews a noir-sexy claimant (Robin Harris). 

 2.) "Hanging Out at the Buena Vista": Two retirement village residents meet and banter with each other. Short, sharp, entertaining. 

 3.) "When the Women Come Out to Dance": Lourdes, a Colombian maid, take on new, more interesting duties when the wife of her employer reveals her marital unease. 

 4.) "Fire in the Hole": U.S. marshal Raylan Givens (last seen in the novels Pronto and Riding the Rap) is reassigned to duty in Harlan County, Kentucky - his hometown - and his first case involves bringing down a longtime friend-turned-criminal (Boyd Crowder). 

 This story is followed by the novel Raylan. This story is also the basis for the first episode ("Fire in the Hole") of the cable show Justified, as well as good portion of that show's first season - "Fire in the Hole" originally aired on March 16, 2010. Timothy Olyphant played Raylan Givens. Walton Goggins played Boyd Crowder. Joelle Carter played Ava Crowder. Nick Searcy played Chief Deputy Art Mullen. Jacob Pitts played Tim Gutterson. Damon Herriman played Dewey Crowe. Doug E. Doug played Israel Fandi. Kevin Rankin played Devil. Ryan O'Nan played Jared Hale. Daniel Stewart Sherman played "Pork #1". Joel Garland, billed as Joel Marsh Garland, played "Pork #2". Danny Wildman played "19 Year Old Raylan". David Michael Holmes played "19 Year Old Boyd". Graham Yost wrote the episode's teleplay; Michael Dinner directed the episode. 

 5.) "Karen Makes Out": Karen Sisco (federal marshal, from the novel Out of Sight) discovers that her new boyfriend (Carl Tillman) might have a foolhardy - illegal - source of income. 

 6.) "Tenkiller": A rodeo cowboy-turned-Hollywood stuntman (Ben "Tenkiller" Webster) returns home to Okmulgee, Oklahoma, where criminals are living on his property, under false pretenses - a situation he seeks to remedy, via action and the law. 

 Other stories: "Chickasaw Charlie Hoke"; "Hurrah for Capt. Early"; "The Tonto Woman"

Riding The Rap by Elmore Leonard

(hb; 1995: second book in the Raylan Givens series) 

 From the inside flap

"Raylan Givens, U.S. marshal, is working on Warrants, bringing in fugitive felons, when Harry Arno disappears again and Raylan feels obligated to find him. This time with misgivings. Raylan believes Harry has dropped out of sight to get attention and win back his former lover, Joyce, who had fallen into Raylan's arms, but now seems concerned only with Harry's welfare. 

"The last person to see Harry is a nifty young psychic -- certified medium and spiritualist -- named Dawn Navarro. As soon as Raylan talks to her he senses that Harry has very likely been kidnapped and Dawn is involved. . ." 

 

Review

More colorful characters, slick writing and fast-paced action from Leonard. If you liked Pronto, chances are you'll like Riding The Rap. Check it out. Followed by the short story "Fire in the Hole," published in Leonard's anthology When the Women Come Out to Dance. # Riding The Rap is the basis for an episode of the cable show Justified ("Fixer", which aired stateside on March 30, 2010). Timothy Olyphant played Raylan Givens. Nick Searcy played Art Mullen. Joelle Carter played Ava Crowder. Page Kennedy played Curtis Mims. Jacob Pitts played Tim Gutterson. Erica Tazel played Rachel Brooks. (Raylan Givens is the only character that appeared in the novel. The other characters are television stand-ins for some of the other novel characters.)