LaBrava (1983) by Elmore Leonard has all the aspects of the Leonard crime novel that I have come to admire. There's great dialogue, an interesting protagonist (Joe LaBrava-former Secret Service agent and now would-be photographer), nefarious criminals (swamp rat Richard Nobles and his boat lifter Cuban accomplice Cuduo Rey) and a story that unfolds in South Beach, Florida. Throw in a young Jewish painter, an aging movie star and retired bookie and you have an entertaining crime story. I always enjoy the Miami area details and suppose that Charles Willeford set the bar for that kind of background detail, but Leonard does a good job of making you understand the area that allows you to transport yourself there for the story. I enjoyed this as much as any of the other Leonard novels I've read so and am looking forward to reading more.
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