Elmore Leonard’s ROAD DOGS could easily be called ELMORE LEONARD’S GREATEST HITS, since he takes three characters from three of his earlier books and places them all together in this novel. You have Jack Foley from OUT OF SIGHT, Cundo Rey from LABRAVA and Dawn Navarro from RIDING THE RAP.
How they all come together is explained right away. The book seems to start after the events of OUT OF SIGHT, with Jake and Cundo handcuffed to each other as they go back to prison in Florida. Leonard plays around with time, since both men pretty much spend three years in prison together as pals, or in prison terminology, “road dogs.”
Cundo tells stories that keeps Jack’s interest through the whole stay, including tales of his girlfriend/common-law wife, Dawn, who is living in one of the two homes Cundo owns. He explains how he calls Dawn daily, asking if she is living like a saint. He also has the added help of a man called Little Jimmy, who looks in after Dawn and Cundo’s businesses.
As interested as Jack is in Cundo’s life, Cundo is even more fascinated by the legendary bank robber that is Jack Foley. Cundo figures he will be able to use Jack’s abilities once out of prison, even springing for a high-priced attorney to help out on Jack’s sentence.
This book hits certain beats you expect from a Leonard story. The large supporting cast has some people you’ve seen before, but two of them are only cameos: Jack’s ex-wife, Adelle, and Karen Sisco, who put Jack back into prison. Then there is Lou Adams, an FBI agent who can’t believe Jack is about to get out and live the straight life. He follows Jack all the way to California, using gang bangers.
The story moves along swiftly, where one see how each character has his or her own ulterior motive. Dawn thinks she can finally break free from Cundo with help from her new bank-robbing fan. But Cundo is not the type to lay down and take it, since once he does get out of prison, he makes sure everyone knows who the alpha dog of this operation is.
ROAD DOGS takes the requisite Leonard twists and turns, with plenty of humor along the way, including Jack dealing with a hired thug in a pick-up basket ball game. Fans of the books mentioned are really going to enjoy this one. It’s nice to see Leonard revisit these creations’ storylines, which have been dormant too long. But new readers will have no problem following the action without any of those books being spoiled. The novel feels like an old, comfortable pair of jeans: a little worn-down, but still feels right. —Bruce Grossman
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• THE HUNTED by Elmore Leonard
• MR. MAJESTYK by Elmore Leonard
• RUM PUNCH by Elmore Leonard
• THE SWITCH by Elmore Leonard
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With each of Leonard’s novels, I become a bigger fan of his work. And, I’ve read a half-dozen or so. This “Road Dogs” books sounds especially intriguing.
Call this bought. Jack Foley is one of my favorite characters from the “Detroit” novels and I’m glad Leonard decided to revist him
When do the events in this novel take place? I only ask because the Cundo Rey character was killed in “La Brava” and that book is at least twenty-six years old.
I dont know the exact time frame. It starts out after the events of Out Of Sight like a few months. Then jumps 3 years while Jack and Cundo are in prison together. Then once out of prison it seems to be maybe a week or so.
I can’t wait now!