Rating: Summary: PENNED BY A MASTER - READ BY THE BEST! Review: The name Elmore Leonard on a dust jacket signals the work of a master. What many may not know is that the name Frank Muller on an audio book means it has been performed by a master.As a voice artist Muller has narrated books by Stephen King, John Grisham, Peter Straub and John le Carre, always with precise enunciation and an almost preternatural understanding of the characters. Such is also the case with Mississippi based "Tishomingo Blues," a terrific tale of a high diver who looked down from his platform one day to see murder committed. He's not the only one with good eyes - the crime is witnessed by another, Robert Taylor, who is employed by a fellow who has come to play General Grant in the reenactment of a Civil War battle. Robert's quite a character. He totes a picture of his great-grandfather's lynching and a gun in his briefcase, and burns the back roads in an ebony Jaguar. Oh, and by the way, he's having an affair with his boss's wife. Whatever else Robert does is vintage Leonard at his captivating best. The dialogue is crisp; the action is non-stop. "Tishomingo Blues" is written and read by the best in their fields.
- Gail Cooke
Rating: Summary: Don't Expect Another GLITZ or GET SHORTY Review: Most of the action in TISHOMINGO BLUES takes place in the vicinity of Tunica, Mississippi. The main characters are an exhibition high diver named Dennis Lenahan and a black con artist from Detroit named Robert Taylor. The best part of the book is probably Leonard's description of a reenactment of a Civil War battle. The story's ending is slightly reminiscent of the final scene in the movie CASABLANCA.
TISHOMINGO BLUES appears to be written by formula and it takes a long time to capture the reader's interest. If you are expecting another GLITZ or GET SHORTY, you will be disappointed. But if you just want to relax with a fairly good mystery, TISHOMINGO BLUES may well fill the bill.
Rating: Summary: very entertaining Review: I've seen Get Shorty, Out of Sight, and Jackie Brown but this was my first time reading one of Elmore Leonard's novels. It's obvious why his books are so popular in Hollywood; the story never drags, and his characterizations are dead-on perfect. The plot includes a murder witnessed from an 80-foot high dive, a Mississippi casino, the Dixie Mafia, and various sexual liasons, all leading up to the climax at a Civil War reenactment. The main character is Dennis, a high diver who's another of Leonard's likable guys with a few flaws. The "good-guys", good being a relative thing with Leonard, are Robert, a Jag-driving streetwise gansta' from Detroit; Charlie, a Native American who may have pitched for the Tigers in the World Series; and John Rau, a straight-as-an-arrow lawman. Bad guys include an ex-deputy who runs the Dixie Mafia and his henchmen. A variety of other folks swirl in and out of the story. What's best about this book is how even though you're never really sure what will happen next, the characters never do anything you wouldn't expect them to do. The people in Elmore Leonard's stories are smart, funny, sexy, and completely true to their motives. This will certainly not be the last of his books which I read.
Rating: Summary: Liked this book Review: A high-diver performer witnesses a murder while standing on top of his dive ladder, and he tries to decide whether to admit to it or not. Meanwhile, he's befriended by a black guy who is trying to move into the drug business in this small town. His plan is to kill off the main people currently running it during a Civil War reenactment. Weird plot twists and you never know what is going on until it happens. Didn't care much for it.
Rating: Summary: more like 2 and a half Review: this has all the Leonard character trademarks. It's Quirky, dangerous, sleazy, funny etc... same with the dialoge,unsual plot and intermittent violence. but it lacks anyone to care anything about. The main character, Dennis, could be someone to relate to but he's just not enough of a presence. And I didn't find myself caring one way or another about the rest. As for plot, you really don't get any kind of handle on what's happening or is going to happen untill around page 180. By then its all so messy you just don't care. I'm not the kind of reader who needs to be led hand in hand from one point to the next, but I just found myself asking too often "what's the point?" Its Leonard allright, just not enough.
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