Riding the Rap [Mass Market Paperback]

Elmore Leonard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 1996

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.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In this sequel to Pronto, Harry Arno has retired from bookmaking but is still closing out some of his outstanding debts. But then his collection agent, an ex-con by the name of Bobby Deo, goes to pick up $1,800 from Chip Ganz and ends up getting hired for a hostage-taking operation (like kidnapping "in a way," Chip tells him, "only different. A lot different.") When Harry's taken by his own man, it's up to United States Marshal Raylan Givens to track him down, in the same methodically relentless fashion he tracked Harry that time he ran off to Italy. Throw in a henchman named Louis Lewis with plans of his own and an attractive young psychic named Reverend Dawn, and you've got yet another crime story that'll keep you on the edge of your seat--occasionally chuckling to yourself--straight through to the finish. (And bonus points to loyal Leonard fans who can spot the crossover elements from Rum Punch and Maximum Bob.) --Ron Hogan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Leonard's latest, about a kidnapped bookie, spent two weeks on PW's bestseller list.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Dell (May 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440214416
• ISBN-13: 978-0440214410
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #656,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elmore Leonard has written more than forty novels, including bestsellers Up in Honey's Room, The Hot Kid, Mr. Paradise, Tishomingo Blues, Pagan Babies, and Glitz. Many of his books have been made into movies, including Get Shorty and Out of Sight. He lives with his wife, Christine, in Bloomfield Village, Michigan.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars God bless Elmore Leonard, November 3, 2003

By 

Peggy Vincent "author and reader" (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Riding the Rap (Mass Market Paperback)

There's hardly ever a truly good guy in Leonard's books. Even the best of his protagonists who ride in on white horses to slay evil dragons have a dark side, a dark secret, or a dark sin. And the worst of the baddies all have some marvelous redeeming or hilarious quality that makes you root for them now and then.
There should be, instead of Murphy's Law, a Leonard's Law, in which some seemingly simple scheme will inevitably turn complex and twisted when this master of his genre gets hold of it.
In Riding the Rap, we get to revisit Florida Marshall Raylan Givins as he investigates the disappearance of his girlfriend's ex-lover. Don't ask. It's too complicated to go into details in a short book review. Just trust me: it's filled with the usual Leonard people-stew of weirdos, strange scams, superb dialogue full of lingo and slang, and and and and...
Not his very best, but very good stuff.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not great, April 26, 2008

By 

lostboy - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Riding the Rap (Mass Market Paperback)

Ellmore Leonard can't be beat for character development and pacing, but he's asleep at the wheel on this one. Good to see Raylan Givens in action again. He's even more confident in this book. The bad guy, Chip Ganz, wasn't completely believable, but his no good sidekicks were. Lots of cross/double cross action. I'm ambiguous about the psychic character (which is probably how the author meant her to be).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Riding the Rap - Leonard, October 25, 2002

By 

Chris MB "CMB" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Riding the Rap (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm not quite sure what I missed when I read Riding the Rap but I obviously missed something. I'm afraid that I can't honestly continue the string of rave reviews. Every character in the novel was flat and few were likable. While the intent of the writing style might have been realism, it was just plain irritating. Leonard has probably written some great books but it'll be a while before I go back to the bookstore to try another.