In Elmore Leonard’s new novel, “Raylan,” the author who has reinvented the modern western brings to life a new group of characters that could only come from his own razor sharp mind.
Instead of oil-barons, we’re given kidney thieves. Instead of the poor unhappy widow, we have the sharp-as a tack coal-mine executive. And, instead of Gary Cooper in “High Noon,” we have U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens and his “take-no-prisoners, unless you have to” kind of way.
Using the sparse language he is famous for, “Raylan” is the no-nonsense lawman made famous in Leonard’s “Riding the Rap,” “Pronto” and the short story “Fire in the Hole.” “Justified,” the hit series on FX starring Timothy Olyphant, is also based upon this character.
This time around, all the bad guys seem to be women. From Layla, the nurse who, in her spare time, sells kidneys at $10,000 a piece, to Carol Conlin, the coal-mine executive with an itchy trigger finger, to Jackie Nevada, the college student/champion poker player, the story is typical Leonard.
Stuck back where it all started, Raylan finds himself in the middle of an “organ transplant” scheme and a couple of red-necked pot-growers who see a brighter future in organ sales. At the same time, the coal mining executive has decided to shoot the old guy who has the nerve to complain about her company. Told in his own inimitable way, “Raylan” only adds to the wealth of characters and stories created by Elmore Leonard.
The dialogue is as fast as it is witty. The characters are rich and true to the small Kentucky coal-mine town that bred them. “Raylan” is Elmore Leonard at his best.
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Coming up, my review of Eli Gottlieb’s “The Face Thief.” a review of “Unorthodox” by Deborah Feldman, followed by my review of Anne Rice’s new supernatural novel, “The Wolf Gift.”
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