Elmore Leonard

Elmore Leonard has written more than three dozen books including Cuba Libre, Rum Punch, and Get Shorty, and numerous screenplays. He has an unparalleled reputation among lovers of mayhem, suspense, and just plain wonderful writing.

A Grand Master Award winner of the Mystery Writers of America, he has been likened to everyone from Balzac to Dostoevsky to Dickens to Dashiell Hammett -- but he is, in fact, entirely and entertainingly sui generis.

He lives in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

What genres does Elmore Leonard write in?

Primarily crime, mystery and suspense, with notable work in noir and Western short stories and novels. He is also known for writing screenplays.

Which Elmore Leonard book is a good place to start?

Get Shorty is a popular entry that showcases his crime fiction, sharp dialogue and dark humor. Rum Punch is another strong introduction to his suspense work. For Westerns, The Complete Western Stories collects his shorter Western fiction.

Does Elmore Leonard have recurring characters or series, and what order should I read them in?

Yes. Two well known recurring threads are the Chili Palmer books (start with Get Shorty, followed by Be Cool) and the Raylan Givens novels (Pronto is the early entry, followed by Riding the Rap; other Raylan novels appear later). Many of his other novels are standalone.