DEBRIS.COMgood for a laugh, or possibly an aneurysm

I came to my first Elmore Leonard novel with some expectations that were perhaps unfair: his novel Get Shorty was made into a fantastic movie (with Travolta, Hackman, Russo, and DeVito!). And one of my favorite writers, Carl Hiaasen, is often compared to Leonard… so I demanded a lot from Pronto, even though I picked it up secondhand for about three dollars.

An ex-NYT bestseller, book-of-the-month-club selection, Pronto is a contemporary crime novel set in south Florida. It pits a modern cowboy against a mafioso, fighting to save the life of a run-down bookie who is ironically more pathetic than sympathetic. But the dialog is sharp, and the pacing tight; it is an enjoyable read.

Patronize these links, man:

• Amazon (paperback)