“[Leonard has] written so many first-rate crime stories that it would be fatuous to say Killshot is his best, but it probably is anyway.”—NewsweekThe New York Times bestselling author the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette once called, “the Alexander the Great of crime fiction,” Elmore Leonard is responsible for creating some of the sharpest dialogue, most compelling characters (including U.S. Marshal … compelling characters (including U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens of TV’s Justified fame), and, quite simply, some of the very best suspense novels written over the past century. Killshot is prime Leonard—a riveting story of a husband and wife caught in the crossfire when they foil a criminal act and are forced to defend themselves when the legal system fails them from the murderous wrath of a pair of vengeful killers. When it comes to cops and criminals stories, Killshot and Leonard are as good as it gets—further proof why “the King Daddy of crime writers” (Seattle Times) deserves his current place among John D. MacDonald, Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain, and the other legendary greats of the noir fiction genre.
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Elmore Leonard is the type of crime writer you want to have a beer with. It’s a shame he passed on, as I would have loved to share a pint with him.
One thing is certain about reading an Elmore Leonard novel is that you get to know his characters. I don’t mean the usual sense of knowing when you pick up a fact or two right from the start. I mean, …
My publisher required that I cut out 10,000 words (about 8%) from my most recent novel. This was somewhat distressing because I count myself a prosaically spare writer. 8% meant real blood. Years ago, I read a (brief) essay by Elmore Leonard regarding hooptedoodle: to wit–cut it out. In search of inspiration, I read Killshot. He is a master of …