Rating: 
Summary: More low-life, high-end dialogue from the master.
Review: Leonard strikes again, returning to his home city of Detroit, with dull-witted thugs, scheming lawyers, hot babes and a hero cop. Which movie company has this one optioned? This book's language is amazingly visual, particularly the depiction of a tall, slender model shot dead for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Don't read it too fast - enjoy it like a rich, buttery dessert.
Rating: 
Summary: Just plain fun
Review: Elmore Leonard seems to run hot and cold in my eyes. But with "Mr. Paradise," he is definitely hot. Frank Delsa, acting lieutenant of Squad Seven, Homicide Section, Detroit Police Department has a couple of new murders to handle. An old rich guy with a penchant for young female playmates - and one of those very playmates who had the misfortune to be right there when Mr. Paradise was on the receiving end of a bullet. She gets one too for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Whodunnit? Well, Delsa first has to figure out who got it. The young hired girlfriend? Or her lookalike friend who came to the house that night and just happened to be upstairs at the time of Mr. Paradise's accelerated exit from this world.
It's a good police story. Characters drift in and out, each adding a little bit of necessary information to the story. None of them will ever win a Nobel Prize, but they kind of remind me of Daman Runyon's people; the dumb folks who think they are smart and wind up wearing orange jumpsuits or buying the Brooklyn Bridge.
The story moves nicely; the few loose ends don't rattle too much and there's a pleasant ending, at least for Frank Delsa.
It's a fun read, a good story.Jerry
Rating: 
Summary: Missing the Elmore Leonard twist
Review: When her friend Chloe Robinette suggests that Kelly Ann Barr join her in a topless cheerleading session for Chloe's aging Mr. Paradise, Kelly finally lets herself get talked into it. She likes Chloe, wants to help her, and a few hundred dollars never hurts. But nasty cheerleading turns into something far worse when gunmen break in and murder the old man. Now Kelly is caught in a trap. If she talks, she might be next. One thing she knows, Mr. Paradise was rich--and there's money in this somewhere. Detroit homicide detective Frank Delsa doesn't think it's shock. The beautiful blonde knows more than she's telling. But is she in with the killers, or is she playing some other game. One thing Delsa has learned in his years as a cop--the criminals are always stupid and always make mistakes. Of course cops can make mistakes now and it doesn't take a genius to realize that the instant attraction he feels toward Kelly is dangerous. What, exactly, is her relationship to the primary witness, African-American Montez Taylor? And what motive for murder do either of them have? Author Elmore Leonard always writes a fast-paced and interesting book and MR. PARADISE certainly fits the pattern. It's a hard book to put down as Leonard makes you feel like there's another twist coming. For me, though, this was the problem with the book. Unlike many of Leonard's stories, MR. PARADISE lacked the clever twists, the too-smart plans, and the street-smart cleverness of many of Leonard's works. I kept waiting for Kelly's hidden plan to reveal itself--waiting and waiting. I kept waiting for the hidden subtext of the too-spontaneous relationship between Delsa and Kelly. She's a Victoria's Secrets model, after all. What would she see in a bitter and much older cop? I'm still waiting. I don't think Elmore Leonard can write a bad book and MR. PARADISE isn't bad. For me, though, it has too many hints of where it could have been a great book--without really delivering. This isn't one of Leonard's masterpieces and that's too bad. But any Leonard novel is worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: Major Leonard fan here
Review: Don't know if I loved this book because it was by Elmore Leonard, or because I used to live in Detroit and am a major fan of Michigan football. Whatever the reasons, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's not my favorite Leonard book--Tishomingo is--but it's still a good read and worth your time and green stuff. Also recommended: The Last Juror and McCrae's Bark of the Dogwood
Rating:
Summary: An Entertaining Novel
Review: What do these reviewers expect? This is the story. A high-end former Detroit call girl, asks her lingerie model roommate to help her entertain a wealthy octogenarian trial lawyer. By entertain, read she dons a cheerleader's skimpy skirt, but goes topless, while performing pom-pom routines beside a TV set while the lawyer watches videotaped University of Michigan football games. The plot, to say the least, is imaginative. The characters are unique and unforgettable. The dialogue is snappy and realistic. The story moves and is entertaining. What did these reviewers expect - a Detroit-based Hamlet? Elmore Leonard is a gifted novelist and Mr. Paradise will add to his reputation as a skilled character crafter.
Rating: 
Summary: horibble! absolutely horrible
Review: This book reads like an internet chat room. It has no narrative what so ever and characters keep falling out from nowhere. You think it might get better as you keep reading, but you just get a bigger headache. Not worth your money.
Rating:
Summary: Not for reading ability beyond grade 8
Review: I kept reading, hoping I'd find a character engaging enough to help me get through the book or even a hint of mystery to hold me through to the last page, but I'm not finding it. Women are demoralized and the male characters are shallowly developed in this book. The entire time I am reading this I am thinking of the bully in my son's middle school, he is not very bright but would enjoy this book. With all the glowing reviews I have read here and in People Magazine I felt certain I couldn't go wrong with this book. Perhaps if I was a Leonard fan, had read any of his previous books, I would be able to look beyond this one and still provide a good review.
Rating:
Summary: NOT QUITE PARADISE
Review: A fairly good Leonard, kind of typical of most of his books, I get the feeling that they are all fleshed out screen plays. I think that this would, in fact make a good movie. I thought the sub plotting was interesting although I would have liked to see a bit more depth in the characters. Lloyd and Jerome could have certainly used more ink and the entire story could have been another hundred pages and become really interesting. Still and all Leonard uses his formula to pretty good results, an enjoyable if lightweight read
Rating: 
Summary: I Hate To Say This
Review: Pound for pound, I think Elmore Leonard is one of the best writers living. He doesn't always write great books, but the reading of them is a joy. That said--this one, I am sorry to say, is a wet fuse. It simply lacks everything I read him for. But after so many good books, even he should be allowed a dud. Don't start with this one.
Rating:
Summary: Even a master can produce a DUD!!!
Review: A very weak entry from a guy who has been terrific for over 30 years. No interesting characters and weakly plotted.I live in Detroit area, as does Leonard, and felt the Detroit references forced and strained which surprises but the whole enterprise is rather stale.For vintage Leonard set in Detroit the following can be highly recommended:Swag,City Primeval,Unknown Man No.89andFifty-Two Pickup.Every short story in the superb collection,When The Women Came Out To Dance , is superior to Mr.Paradise .
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