Elmore Leonard's "Rum Punch" (which was the basis of Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown") is a page-turner in the truest sense of the word - it's hard to put down. Leonard's has crafted a novel with his usual ear for fantastic and witty dialogue and fast, descriptive and fluent prose. Add a well-crafted and surprising plot and we have one of Leonard's finest works.

The story revolves around Jackie Burke (changed to Jackie Brown in the film), an airline stewardess who smuggles money between locations for Ordell Robbie, an arms-dealing hot-talking crook who uses everyone he comes in contact with for his own gain. The plot takes off when Jackie is caught - the police, Ordell, even Ordell's discontented callgirl. In the end... well, you'll have to read it for that.

What makes "Rum Punch" a pleasure to read, like all of Leonard's novels, are the fringe characters which seemingly only he could dream up. The relationship between Louis, Ordell's dim-witted and short-tempered right hand man, and Melanie, Ordell's primary callgirl, is amusing, as are scenes like Ray Nicholette's bravado-style shootout with one of Ordell's arms-shipping lackeys. Leonard also intersperses interesting bits of character introspection, things like Max Cherry's contemplation about his relationship with his wife (with whom he's separated) and Jackie's three ex-husbands (although she only usually says there's two, because two of them were so similar, even in name, that they're hard to tell apart).

The plot itself goes off without a hitch. There's nothing profound, and probably nothing new, but the execution is suspenseful and works because of the strong characters involved.

Heartily recommended.

Matthew D. Johnston

"Rum Punch" is a sequel to Leonard's mid-70's classic, "The Switch," and while not nearly as tight as that taut psychological novel, it's refreshing to see Ordell Robbie, Melanie and Luis Gaza back in action. Robbie is one of Leonard's most appealing black villain-kings (this is not an ethnic slur; from "The Switch" to "Freaky Deaky" you'll see a long string of Leonard African-American heavies who are generally smarter, calmer, wealthier and more resourceful than the white cons with whom they partner), so smooth than he can run a crew while hobnobbing with redneck Nazis. Jackie Burke is the latest a logn line of appealingly pragmatic Leonard female characters. Max Cherry, a burned-out bail bondsman whose interacts beneficially and detrimentally with all the main characters, appeals with his sense of hard-boiled integrity. The only character disappointment in the story is Luis Gaza, so noble and honorable (for a kidnapper) in "The Switch," who comes off as a burnt-out loser, a shell of his former self. Maybe that's the point, but it's an ignoble fate.

As for the story, it's pretty standard Leonard fare about crosses, double crosses, money laundering, extortion, redemption and whatnot. It's pretty typical of Leonard's mid-90's work, padded with forced dialogue, a movie-like narrative arc, and the hanging-in-the-air resolution. Not one of his best, but still enjoyable.

as in all Elmores stories. He captures beautifully, the walk and talk of every character. A slow ex-con, a disenchanted bail bondsman, a cowboy ATF agent, a street smart gun dealer, a hopped up beach babe and last but not least-Jackie Burke; an air stewardess with brains, balls and panache to help get her through her problems with the ATF and the hip-cat killer Ordell Robie. So trust me on this, Elmore's one of the master writers out there today that deserves every word of praise he can get. And oh yeah if you're thinking of getting 'Jackie Brown' I'd advise you to get 'The Switch' first as it is the first story about Melanie, Ordell and Louis Gara.