Riding the Rap

Many imitate him but none can touch him. He's set  the standard against which all other crime novels  are measured. His signature is vise-tightening  suspense, crackling dialogue, and deadeye wit. And  now, in Riding The Rap, Elmore  Leonard proves once again that he is "the  greatest living writer of crime fiction."  (The New York Times) Raylan Givens,  U.S. Marshal, is working on Warrants, bringing in  fugitive felons, when Harry Arno disappears again  and Raylan feels obliged to find him. This time  with misgivings. Raylan believes Harry has dropped  out of site to get attention and win back his  former lover, Joyce, who had fallen into Raylan's  arms, but now seems concerned only with Harry's  welfare. The last person to see Harry is a nifty  young psychic--certified medium and  spiritualist--named Dawn Navarro. As soon as Raylan talks to her  he senses that Harry has very likely beenkidnapped  and Dawn is involved. Cut to the bad guys. Chip  Ganz describes his idea, a way to make millions,  as "taking hostages." Not unlike the way  it was done in Lebanon, but this time for profit.  Does he mean kidnapping? "In a way,"  Chip tells his ex-con accomplice, Louis Lewis and  Bobby Deo, "only different. A lot different."  It's the victim who has to come up with a way to  pay the ransom. "It had better be the best  idea you've ever had," Chip tells Harry,  blindfolded and in chains. "Because if we don't  like it, you're dead." In time Raylan's  pretty sure he knows where Harry is being held, but  doesn't have "probable cause" to get a  warrant and gain entry. As he closes in, though,  Chip's hostage plan begins to come apart and the  scene is set for a showdown--one of the best you'll  ever see.

him but none can touch him. He's set  the standard against which all other crime novels  are measured. His signature is vise-tightening  suspense, crackling dialogue, and deadeye wit. And  now, in Riding The Rap, Elmore  Leonard proves once again that he is "the  greatest living writer of crime fiction."  (The New York Times) Raylan Givens,  U.S. Marshal, is working on Warrants, bringing in  fugitive felons, when Harry Arno disappears again  and Raylan feels obliged to find him. This time  with misgivings. Raylan believes Harry has dropped  out of site to get attention and win back his  former lover, Joyce, who had fallen into Raylan's  arms, but now seems concerned only with Harry's  welfare. The last person to see Harry is a nifty  young psychic--certified medium and  spiritualist--named Dawn Nav