Charlie Martz and Other Stories by Elmore Leonard is a collection of short, previously unpublished stories of both the Western and crime varieties (available June 16, 2015).
Charlie Martz and Other Stories could be slightly jarring for unsuspecting Elmore Leonard devotees. The fifteen short stories—eleven never before published—were written early in The Dickens of Detroit's celebrated career when he was still cultivating his craft. His son, Peter Leonard, in the introduction acknowledges these early tales break several of the celebrated senior Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing—I began counting how many exclamation points appear in one story. Still, there’s much to welcome in this posthumous assortment by an author Stephen King hailed as, “the great American writer.”
“Charlie Martz” is a terrific Western number that finds a man named Bushway in the sleepy town of Mesilla, befriended by a saloon’s lone customer, Schmidt. Bushway appears startled to learn a mutual acquaintance, Martz, is a local sheriff, and Schmidt offers to escort the two-gun toting stranger to meet Martz unaware that Bushway is an assassin out to kill the lawman. Later, Bushway holds Schmidt and his wife hostage in their home until Martz shows up, after which Bushway forces the wife to spark their close-quarters duel:
Mrs. Schmidt held the long-handled spoon as if it were an object of evil. She bit her lower lip, not making a sound, but her eyes pleaded in the direction of the gunman. Bushway was about to yell at her again when she closed her eyes and with a shudder, swung the spoon behind her with all her might.
The sharp CLANG of the dishpan vibrated no more than a second before the room was filled with the explosive bark of a Colt … a split second … then the same crashing short bark as a Colt jerked fire from its barrel.
Some boisterous cowhands in “First Western Siesta in Paloverde” are lounging about the town’s watering hole, humiliating Martz by swiping his gun and playing keep away until a notorious gunslinger, Reb Spadea, arrives forcing Martz to demonstrate exactly why he has four notches on his Colt. “Paloverde” is almost a rewrite of “Charlie Martz” and contradicts the earlier tale when Martz expounds on where he killed Bushway. Perhaps, old Martz simply forgot or was exaggerating. One thing’s for certain, Leonard at this period in his evolution, had a knack for spinning the Western yarn with effortless charm.
But for those who prefer Leonard’s crime fiction output, “One, Horizontal” features an older brother looking for revenge for his younger sibling who had been maimed by a mobster and wisely isn't looking for retribution himself. A real vibe for old Detroit permeates and delivers the kind of blunt action a Leonard reader craves:
His gun hung at his side. He glanced around and then took the decoration handkerchief from his breast pocket and began wiping his forehead and eyes.
He was looking into plain white when the rock smashed into his face … with my hand around it. Before he went down I let go with three more.
A larger than expected Ernest Hemingway influence is prevalent, and a true gem is “A Happy Light-Hearted People” which is as sincere a homage to Hemingway as has ever been written—Papa himself could have been confused, after a Scotch or two, whether he wrote it (we discover in the introduction that Leonard learned to write by placing a blank piece of paper over the text of a Hemingway tale and rewriting the passage in his own manner). The dialogue in “A Happy Light-Hearted People” forms a bridge, of sorts, from Hemingway's impact to the gritty, wry, language that Leonard became known for a couple of decades later. Bonus: “Arma Virumque Cano,” another Hemingway infused piece, finds a salesman picking up a young female hitchhiker with unexpected results, and is the perfect blending of these two twentieth-century titans’ distinct styles.
Film critic Roger Ebert nailed it when reviewing the Stephen Soderbergh 1998 adaptation of Leonard’s Out of Sight, by saying, “Elmore Leonard is above all the creator of colorful characters.” And this collection certainly serves up another batch of those gravelly, authentic, fringe-dwelling lives. First time readers to Leonard should probably start with one of his later novels like 52 Pick-Up, Stick, or Glitz. Leonard aficionados by all means should dig straightaway into Charlie Martz and Other Stories and savor what little we have left from this undisputed master.
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Edward A. Grainger aka David Cranmer is the editor/publisher of the BEAT to a PULP webzine and books and the recent Western novella, Hell Town Shootout.
Read all of Edward A. Grainger's posts for Criminal Element.
Elmore Leonard is an important enough writer whose lesser known eorkes need publihing, And to be read.
This is a must read.
Elmore Leonard has been on every vacation with me for years and years. Like potato chips and m&ms.
Iève heard so much about Elmore Leonard, and have seen movies made from his books, but have never had the pleasure of reading one for myself.
This would be great, thanks.
I would like this.
I’ve never read anything by Elmore Leonard but would like to
I hope I win this prize.
Elmore Lenard, enough said.
this sounds terrific.
i will enjoy reading !
Would be a nice read for this summer
I would love to read Elmore Lenard’s work!
Want!
Sounds fascinating!!
I would love to check this out 🙂
I would love to read these Elmore Leonard stories. Thanks
how interesting
This is cool, hope I win, I love to read.
Something new from an old friend. Looking forward to reading it.
sounds awesome 🙂
He is one of my favorite authors
I love short stories. Unfortunately, I don’t see as many short story collections as I used to.
I’d like to enter for this book please.
This has been on my TBR list ever since I first heard of its potential release. I appreciate the opportunity to take a glimpse back into the formative years of one of the ‘greats’… Thanks for the chance!
If Stephen King likes it, it must be good. Would love to read it.
Elmore Lenard-must read!
Oooooh, I so need to read this!
Would love to win!
I am always looking for new books to read and would love to win
Sounds interesting. Would love to read it.
“I always felt, you don’t have a good time doin’ crime, you may as well find a job.” Can’t beat readin’ Elmore Leonard doin’ crime.
This looks to be the read of the summer. Love it. Thank you
I like winning books.
Very much looking forward to this book!
Love Elmore Leonard. He’s one of the first authors my husband and I shared when we became friends. Eons and eons ago. 🙂
Great Summer Beach Read.
Hope I Win.
When you conside that the whole Justified series came out of one Leonard story, you know his short fiction is pretty hefty.
As many great writers who made their bones in one particular genre did, Leonard was an accomplished writer who was not limited to mystery/suspense. While Westerns are now a fairly unpoular genre, my hunch is that Leonard’s short stories might go a ways to reversing that trend. Great writers are great writers no matter their choice of subject material.
Dutch!!!
I would be honored to win this !!
I’ve loved Leonard’s stories for many years. He came to our Tucson Festival of Books the first two years and was a very interesting speaker. Interestingly, he said that he wrote all his books out longhand on 11″ tablets! He also did not use colons or semicolons – said it should be a new sentence.
I feel lucky to live in a time with so many great books. Was just checking out Elmore Leonard’s bibliography, published in order.
I would enjoy reading this book.
I would love to read unpublished short stories from Elmore Leaonard.
Leonard is gone. As is Carver and Poe! Wish they were still with us…missing them…and treasuring T.C. Boyle…regretting the existence of Bwannabe Kindalls..
I need more Elmore Leonard.
He observed people; then ran them through his typewriter and turned loose in new surroundings.
I would love to win this. Love Elmore Leonard.
This sounds like a great complement to the series from Library of America….
Elmore Leonard will be missed, he wrote some crazy, wacky, weird, Great stuff!!
With a glass of ice tea, in a comfortable chair and reading this Elmore Leonard book ,ahhh, the perfect way to spend a summer evening.
I would love to read this collection.
I would love to read this!
Very nice!!!!
I love his work.
Count me in.
Hope this is only the first in many unpulished Leonard collections to come!
I am excited to see this, and can’t wait to read the collection!
would be awesome to win and read these great books
I am a fan of Elmore Leonard and am happy for the opportunity to receive this book.
Hey this would be great to win – so excited!
I just LOVE Elmore Leonard. Now that we have lost him AND Justified, I am at my wit’s end………………..
Elmore is the Man! Yes!
I watched Justified and loved it from day one. I didn’t read any of Mr. Leonard’s books but I do love a western. I from the old scjool of western’s. Rifleman, Wagon Train and I loved Silverado. I am reading DOC at this time and it is well written. I am trying to read as many books as I can but I have found out that that is going to take time!
Can’t wait to read this soon.
So pleased to find that there is more Elmore Leonard that I haven’t read yet!
I have enjoyed reading Elmore Leonard ever since I first read KillShot, and I have no idea how long ago that was. I especially lied how he moved the story through conversation more than anything else.
I can’t wait to read
looks good.
Love Leonard’s westerns
I have read and enjoyed almost all of Elmore Leonard’s works. I am definitely a fan. I have even loved the TV series Justified, based on Fire in the Hole! It would be awesome to read and have this book in my library. Thank you for the opportunity!
Count me in, please!
love Elmore Leonard and would love to win this!!
Leonard’s writing is great.
Yes, please enter me in this sweepstakes.
Thanks!
I would love to win!
sounds like a fun one!
This is the only author my husband reads. I would love to give these to him and maybe try them myself. 🙂
I have read most of his books, but don’t recall this one so it would be nice to win, thanks
I enjoy his books, would be interesting to read his earliest books to see how his writing evolved.
I’m new to Leonard’s writing, but it sounds like a must read. Count me in.
Thanks for this giveaway!
Enjoy all your giveaways. Thanks bunches!
My intro to Leonard was Maximum Bob. Umpteen books later and he never failed to entertain me.
It’s in the dialogue.
RIP, Elmore. Look forward to reading more from the master.
I enjoy the authenticity of his settings, the individual quirkiness of his characters, and plots that meander like real life. He was more than a wordsmith forming sentences, he crafted images on the page.
I love all his works, and have been a fan since I was a teenager. Elmore Leonard is sadly missed.
I would like to read the works of Elmore Leonard.
Early Elmore – definitley of interest. I suspect what I so like about his writing is already there.
One can only hope that there is more Leonard in bottom drawers in Detroit, Birmingham awaiting publishing.
On this rainy day…again…I would love to read a good story from Elmore Leonard! I have not read his work yet but can’t wait to be introduced!
Love his books!
Never read his short fiction, looking forward to his gritty westerns.
I would love to read this!
I would love to read this!
People who want to read Elmore Leonard should read the work he *intended* to have published — Swag, Glitz, 52 Pickup, and on from there.
Elmore Leonard! I can’t wait to read this!
This would be a wonderful book to read. Love Elmore Leonard.
[b]I could have swore I already made a comment?[/b]
Being a huge Elmore Leonard fan this is just about the most amazing giveaway I could imagine!!! Thanks so much for the opportunity to win & good luck to all who enter!!!:)
I love Elmore Leonard’s books. There is always a good plot and good conversations in his books. You always knew what the characters were thinking and feeling.
nothing better than a Elmore story!
what a storyteller-this would be a treasued book in my library!
sounds great
I am new to
Elmore Leonard’s books and have placed him high on my TBR list.
I would like this
This would be a great treat!
Thanks for the giveaway. Sounds like a great read.
I would like to explore Elmore Leonard. I have heard geat things and from what I see, I am very interested in reading this soon.
Thanks for the giveaway… EL is one of my favorite writers.
sounds great sign me up
I would enjoy reading this book. It sounds great. Thanks.
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Good deal, count me in!
Must read this !!!
thanks a great summer read
I really really want to win this book.