The Dominican Republic, private eyes and organized crime: a review of "the cat chaser by Elmore Leonard

Hello again, agents. And thank you for attending today's briefing. Today, we are going to be discussing cat chaser, by Elmore Leonard which is an intriguing mystery crime novel centered around a former US Marine and is looking to make peace with its past, but ends up becoming entangled with the former head of the Dominican secret service, a con artist. A couple of South American hit men, as well as a bent private eye in the process. The main character learns what true love is and makes peace with his inner demons. Or at least learns to keep them on a shorter leash. All in all, this is a great mystery crime novel that will keep you turning pages from start to finish. By creating a world in which your agent, you will become absolutely absorbed and who knows it might even inspire you to visit some of the demons from your own past...

The Cat Chaser is fast becoming one of my favorite crime novels.

You see the main character George Moran has it pretty good. He is young and hip and good looking and he owns his own beachfront hotel along Key Biscayne. He has already tasted what it is like to be rich, and he has been married and divorced. He seems to like the tranquility of the beach and his life, but it’s well apparent after the first ten pages, there is something seriously missing that he hungers for which it Action. Adrenaline, a little danger; One day while sipping a beer and watching another beautiful sunset, he plans a trip to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Not to hang around any pools, or hit any nightclubs, he wanted to revisit a time and place in his memory that was pure rock and roll. In 1965, he invaded the island with the Third Battalion, Sixth Marines to quell a Caribbean revolution. Now, Moran 1Cwanted to walk those streets again without sniper fire coming in and see what he remembered. He might even look up the girl who had once tried to kill him. See if she was still around..

See what I mean? This guy has this joie de vivre. He does what he wants. The way he wants.
And that what nearly kills him. Because the next thing you know he is sleeping with the wife of a former head of Dominican secret service. It is for more than a physical attraction; George has known this woman for a long time. But her husband in his time was infamous for cruelty, torture, and murder. The type of man who knows everyone else's secrets, the kind of guy that had his prisoners thrown off a cliff into shark infested waters, the kind of monster who revels in the pain of others.
What 19s the ex-marine going to do? For George, the threat of danger is his juice, the fuel for his fire. He is not the type of guy to hide his love. He is going to let it burn out of control. He fights to save the Dominican 19s wife from an abusive relationship and along the way he is going to make him pay for the trouble. Cash stuffed suitcases, bullets flying. This guy will never get old.

This story will definitely keep all agents who choose to use it as part of their reading the repertoire on the edge of their seats. The action and mystery is great, but the dialogue alone is enough to keep you turning pages.

Please remember agents that "reading is just recreation for intelligence."

Finding justice in the footsteps of a US Marshal: a review of "Pronto" by Elmore Leonard

Hello again, agents. And thank you for stopping by for today's briefing today, I thought we would discuss what should be (if it isn't already). A modern classic of the Western detective genre, which is "Pronto" by Elmore Leonard, this is the first book of the series that has discussed below in inspired the critically acclaimed TV series "Justified" after watching the entire series (again, as discussed below). I decided that I was still in the mood for stories where justice is served (even if it is from the barrel of a gun) and the bad guys get what they deserve. Especially corrupt politicians (insert any name you wish here), and I must say these stories are definitely captivating. I almost wanted to run out and buy a Stetson and a pair of boots from the very first line I was absolutely absorbed in the story and felt like I was the deputy following Marshal Givens on the trail of the fugitive. If you are in for an action-packed adventure, where justice is served and the white hat always wins. Or are feeling nostalgic for a good Western, I definitely suggest giving this book a try. I highly doubt you'll be disappointed...

I recently finished (binge-watching FX's series Justified (because I didn't watch it when it was new. And I couldn't find anything better on Amazon prime video not to mention I just recently realized that Elmore Leonard wrote 310 to Yuma, which is one of my favorite Western movies), and decided it might be fun to extend my binge by reading the Elmore Leonard books that inspired the series. I figured I'd start out with Pronto, the first novel to feature stetson-wearing Federal Marshal Raylan Givens, native of Harlan County and veteran of the Kentucky mines.

The novel ends where the series begins, with the “justified” shooting of a mobster at an outdoor cafe in Miami. The book begins in Miami too, but it has to travel to Italy and back again in order to return to the place where it started.

At first, when the novel begins, it doesn't seem to be about Raylan Givens at all. It is the story of Harry Arno, a bookie on the run from both the Feds and the mob, but mostly on the run from the mob, which of course is trying to kill him. Marshal Givens soon takes Harry into custody, but Harry tricks Raylan and gets away. Where has Harry gone? Raylan has a hunch, for he remembers something Harry once said to him years ago.

 This book was my first exposure to Elmore Leonard's literary works, and I must say I will be reading as many of these books as I can find in the near future. He is so good that he habitually makes his writing do at least two things at once. For example, when he describes a person, he makes that description part of a dialogue in which one character is describing this particular person to another. (For example, Joyce, Harry's ex-stripper girlfriend, describes Raylan, who she has seen in the hotel lobby, to Harry.) The reader gets a description, but he also benefits from the further development of two additional characters, all at the same time.

You Justified fans want to know, though: is this Raylan really the same Raylan? Well, he's got two little boys, Wynona and he are definitely not getting back together, and the brim if his stetson is narrower in the books (a “businessman's stetson” they call it). Otherwise, he is pretty much the same, and you ladies can always imagine he looks just like Timothy Olyphant if you want to.

Pronto is an exciting thriller, full of interesting people, wisecracks, subterfuge and gun play. If I were you, I'd give it a try, whether you are a Justified fan or not.

As always, agents please remember, "reading is just recreation for intelligence."

Book details:

Book title: Pronto

Author: Elmore Leonard

·  Hardcover: 265 pages

·  Publisher: Delacorte Press; 1st edition (September 1, 1993)

·  Language: English

·  ISBN-10: 0385308469

·  ISBN-13: 978-0385308465

https://www.amazon.com/Pronto-Elmore-Leonard/dp/0385308469/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Kindle price $8.99, hardcover (available from various vendors, prices starting at $1.10), paperback, $12.63 (eligible for prime), audible MP3 audio book (free for audible subscription holders $16.95 for a one-time download)