Riding the Rap

By: Elmore Leonard

Narrated by: Frank Muller

“Wicked and irresistible….Elmore Leonard is a literary genius.”
—New York Times Book Review

Before U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens began electrifying TV viewers across America (in the hit series Justified), he “starred” in Elmore Leonard’s Riding the Rap—an explosive, twisty tale of a brazen Florida kidnap caper gone outrageously wrong. Chock full of wildly eccentric and deliciously criminal characters—including a psycho enforcer with a green thumb, a Bahamian bad man, and the beautiful, unabashedly greedy psychic Reverend Dawn—Riding the Rap dazzles with Leonard’s trademark ingenious plot turns and razor-keen dialogue. Gripping, surprising, and unforgettable, it is a crime fiction gem that any thriller writer—from past masters John D. MacDonald, Dashiell Hammett, and James M. Cain to the bestselling mystery auteurs of today—would be thrilled to call his own.

TV's JUSTIFIED, Raylan Givens returns in book two

This is Leonard's second Raylan Givens novel, that the show 'Justified' is based on. Once again, Raylan seems to spend most of his time going off on his own, rather than sticking purely with his US Marshall services job.

Harry, from 'Pronto' , the first Raylan Givens' book, is a retired bookie who returns In this book. After running from the mob in book one, he is kidnapped by a trio of truly strange characters in this book. Raylan gets involved with a beautiful young psychic; an old woman whose memory has gone, and her druggie son who is selling everything out of her mansion; a brash you man who dreams of killing situations that make him look macho; and a truly crazy enforcer.

Raylan continues to be his own man. This quality makes him, and his stories, uniquely interesting. Sometimes I wish Elmore Leonard wasn't so stereotypically racist with every group one could possible think about in his books. The saving grace with this, I believe, is to show the stupidity of these attitudes. Gently macho is definitely in, as Raylan determines his own means of justice!!

Exceptional!

No long winded review is necessary.

Elmore Leonard, read by Frank Muller. it just doesn't get much better than than that!

Needed a better voice for narration.

Story is good but I had to force myself to finish it. The narrators voice was hard for me to take, maybe just me but it was awfully monotonous.

Classic Leonard

Where does Riding the Rap rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 10 for enjoyment

What did you like best about this story?

Colorful characters with great back story description. I think all of Leonard's characters are interesting and believable.

What about Frank Muller’s performance did you like?

Narrator is very important to me. Muller does great job with character voice and inflection. Very easy to listen to. I was absorbed by the way he translated Leonard's characters and he made it easy for me to picture them in my mind.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, If I had been traveling I would have listened to the entire book.

Any additional comments?

I listen purely for entertainment. This story and the narration was just what I was looking for. I have long been a fan of Elmore Leonard and have read many of his books. I was not the least bit disappointed. I would recommend this audio book.

Elmore Leonard has got to be the best author of crime novels 

This is a book that you will not be able to put down it keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way until the end, but so to all of Elmore Leonard‘s books everyone needs to hear at least one of his books