Book Beat is pleased to welcome legendary author and beloved Detroiter Elmore Leonard, along with his son, author Peter Leonard, to the Baldwin Library (300 West Merrill0 Street Birmingham, MI 48009) on Thursday, Jan. 19th at 7pm. They will be speaking and signing books. This will be one of only three nationwide signing events for his latest book Raylan. The event is free and open to the public. Please call Book Beat (248) 968-1190 for more info or to reserve copies of these titles.
“Elmore Leonard can write circles around almost anybody active in the crime novel today.”
—New York Times Book Review
“Elmore Leonard is an awfully good writer of a sneaky sort; he is so good you don’t even notice what he’s up to.”
— Washington Post Book World
“A superb craftsman . . . his writing is pure pleasure.”
— Los Angeles Times Book Review
“Elmore Leonard is our greatest crime novelist… the best in the business.”
— Washington Post
Elmore is helping to promote the release of his latest novel (book #45!) Raylan (available for pre-order now ) continues the story of US Marshall Raylan Givens, who previously appeared in Leonard’s books Pronto, and Riding the Rap, as well as his shorty story “Fire in the Hole,” and who currently is the central character in the hit FX tv show Justified. Played by the actor Timothy Olyphant, Raylan is one of Leonard’s most unforgettable characters. “Dark and droll, Raylan is pure Elmore Leonard—a page-turner filled with the sparkling dialogue and sly suspense that are the hallmarks of this modern master.”
The writers for the TV show “Justified” have blue wristbands that say WWED: “What Would Elmore Do”? -The Wall Street Journal
Elmore Leonard is the author of dozens of popular novels including Get Shorty, Rum Punch, Out of Sight, Hombre, Mr. Majestyk, Big Bounce, and 52 Pick-Up. Many of his novels have been adapted into films, including his short story 3:10 to Yuma. He is most well-known for his gritty crime novels- many set in and around metro Detroit- that feature break-neck pacing and strong dialogue. He has been called “the great American writer” by Stephen King.
Peter Leonard is the author of Quiver, Trust Me, All He Saw Was the Girl, and the upcoming Voices of the Dead.
Leonard’s previous novels have been jaunty crime capers similar to those of his father, Elmore. This one, set in 1971 and the first of a two-parter, has the same energy and precision but is much darker thematically, more painful and considered. On the surface it’s a cat-and-mouse thriller: scrap-metal dealer Harry Levin is determined to track down the German diplomat who killed his daughter when driving drunk. The police tell him the man has been afforded immunity and won’t face charges, so Harry travels back to Munich, where he was born, to dispense vigilante justice … Leonard’s handling of Harry’s wartime internment in Dachau proves he’s no one-trick pony. There are thrills here but also a desperate pathos. If you haven’t read Leonard before – and you must – this is a great place to start. –The Guardian
“Elmore Leonard is a tough act to follow, but son Peter is off to a terrific start. TRUST ME is fast, sly and full of twists. Clearly, great storytelling runs in the Leonard family’s DNA.” -Carl Hiaasen