Unknown Man #89

I just finished re-reading Unknown Man #89, many years after the first pass through the book. It is Leonard at his very best. In fact, for sheer intelligence and craftsmanship, this is as good as the crime novel ever gets. Most crime writers can't write convincing love scenes or complex love relationships. This one does. The unfolding relationship between Ryan and Lee is by turns warm, loving, desperate, funny, and playful,... Read Full Review

A hero with a troubled past. A modern day damsel in distress. Villains with competing agendas who are themselves interesting but keep you guessing. What's not to love? This is Elmore Leonard at his best, epitomizing the genre. Several mysteries come into play as the story unfolds. Perhaps the biggest mystery of all, though, is why this book never got the recognition it deserved or caught the right attention to merit... Read Full Review

Written in the '70s, "Unknown Man" established a template that has endured into the new century: super cool male lead, troubled but likeable damsel in distress and a couple of black guys with baggage. Jack Ryan, Detroit process server with a street smart, easy going manner that lets him rise above the ugliness of his business, is a character from whom Rayland Givens and Chili Palmer will naturally evolve. Jay Wilt, one of... Read Full Review

My first approach to Elmore Leonard had been "Get Shorty".Nothing especial. But this crime story is really involving and impressing.Absolutely to read.

Leonard is an experienced writer who knows precisely how to sketch the human frailties of his characters. Jack Ryan is the process-server so good at finding people that he's approached by some shady businessmen to locate a woman with a ruinous drinking problem. What's at stake is the money and maybe a chance for something that can pass for love, but the gallery of crooks includes a violent ex-con and an amoral wheeler-dealer... Read Full Review