827. Get Shorty

Get Shorty
Elmore Leonard
1990
Around 385 pages

I think I've had identical reactions to every Elmore Leonard novel so far on this List. They are just really fun, and he is one of my favorite authors to read on vacation. If it's geographically appropriate of course.

Ernesto "Chili" Palmer is a small-time loan shark based in Miami. After a run-in with a mobster Chili goes to Las Vegas in pursuit of Leo Devoe, a dry cleaner who has scammed an airline out of $300,000 in life insurance by faking his death, as well as avoiding his $10,000 debt to Chili's employers. After relieving Leo of the money in Vegas, Chili gambles it all away. At the casino, he gets a new assignment. The casino is looking to collect from Harry Zimm, a horror film producer. Chili, interested in the movie business, heads for Los Angeles to make Zimm pay.

As usual, Leonard's pacing, plotting, and dialogue is on point. It's also fun to explore Hollywood during this time, and Leonard's real life experience with dealing with the industry's dirtbags clearly influenced this story. 

Unfortunately, our last Elmore Leonard on the List, but I will definitely be tackling his body of work once I've completed my sentence.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Adapted to film in 1995, and a television series in 2017.

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