ELMORE LEONARD'S RAYLAN: A GUEST REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

 GIVEAWAY ENDED
RAYLAN

BY ELMORE LEONARD

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The revered New York Times bestselling author, recognized as “America’s greatest crime writer” (Newsweek), brings back U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, the mesmerizing hero of Pronto, Riding the Rap, and the hit FX series Justified.

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 a piece; 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 sometime college student who can outplay anyone at the poker table and who suddenly finds herself being tracked by a handsome U.S. marshal.

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. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elmore Leonard has written more than 40 books during his highly successful writing career, including the bestsellers Up in Honey’s Room, The Hot Kid, Mr. Paradise, Tishomingo Blues, and the critically acclaimed collection of short stories, When the Women Come Out to Dance. Many of his books have been made into movies, including Get Shorty, Out of Sight, and Be Cool. He is the recipient of the Grand Master Award of the Mystery Writers of America. He lives with his wife, Christine, in Bloomfield Village, Michigan.

To read a more detailed biography of this famous author, visit his website HERE. 

MEET MY GUEST REVIEWER, STEVE CAPELL:

Steve Capell lives in the Kansas City Metro Area and is married to his lovely wife since 1974. They have grown children and so their attention now shifts to their two Chihuahuas. Steve has many ways he enjoys his retirement but playing with his grandson is very special to him. Steve has reviewed many books for BOOKIN' WITH BINGO including a favorite, VACLAV AND LENA, and his first Guest Review for me was A TIME FOR PATRIOTS and you can go HERE to read more about that book and also about this good friend and wonderful reviewer! Also, don't miss out on visiting Steve's own blog, TRUE MEDIA SOLUTIONS.

AND NOW STEVE'S REVIEW OF RAYLAN:

Raylan, a U.S. Marshall, finds himself hunting down dreadful men and women. Raylan is out to apprehend or kill those that are harvesting illegally. Some of characters are harvesting kidneys from live people, others are trying to harvest coal from a mountain top that they do not own, and finally there are characters that are harvesting stolen cash from banks. This novel is really a collection of three different short stories that are loosely tied together by the protagonist Raylan.

I will not go into the each of these stories as they are short enough that I would come close to writing a review with a spoiler. Readers that have read my reviews in the past know that I refrain from writing any spoilers.

My thoughts:

Elmore Leonard has written a book that is rich in dialog. The three different stories are full of characters and the plot moves forward mainly with the use dialog between those characters. I would have liked to experience little more character development especially the main character Raylan.

I was getting into novel about someone harvesting kidneys for money when the story line stopped about a third of way into the novel ...  I found this to very unexpected and awkward. Leonard tries to bring the three stories together by having some characters briefly written into each of the three stories, but the attempt is obvious and does little to weld the three stories together at the seams.

I am still recommending this novel as a worth while read because the book is fast paced and the three stories are intriguing and engaging.

One final comment ... reader beware. Some of the language is very much adult. The graphic language is like cutting into very rare steak ... crusty on the outside and totally raw on inside. This novel is not for young adults.

I have given this novel a 3.5 rating out of 5.

In accordance with new FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers I am disclosing the following: The publisher provided this book and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

 GIVEAWAY 

THANKS TO SHAWN AND THE GOOD FOLKS

AT HARPER COLLINS, I HAVE ONE

 COPY OF THIS BEST SELLER, RAYLAN,

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GIVEAWAY ENDS AT

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