I picked up an Elmore Leonard novel "The Hot Kid" to read over the holidays and must admit that it was a great book. The premise of the book is a mix of hard-boiled cop mystery from the 1930's mixed with a twist of Western thrown in for good measure. While I'm not a huge fan of Westerns this book does a great job of mixing two forms and delivers an interesting crime novel more than a traditional mystery.
This book makes for an intriguing read as you follow the path of U.S. Federal Marshall Carl Webster from boyhood through his pursuits of seven criminals. Leonard's style is interesting in that he develops several simultaneous plot lines in the novel that eventually intersect that heads towards the final showdown in the book. The reader gets a glimpse into the criminal that eventually becomes public enemy number one and his showdown with Carl Webster. "The Hot Kid" turns out to be an easy read if you're looking for a solid crime novel. Leonard delivers with realistic and well developed characters a gritty back-drop of bank robbers, murder and general mayhem.
