As well as his screenplays and short stories, Leonard has produced 43 novels in 54 years, rarely letting the quality slip below entertaining. Among them he has turned in at least 10 crime genre classics, notably Swag (1976), City Primeval (1980), Stick (1983) LaBrava (1983), Glitz (1985), Freaky Deaky (1988), Killshot (1989), Get Shorty (1990), Maximum Bob (1991), Pagan Babies (2000) and Tishomingo Blues (2002). Actually that’s 11, with other books jostling for inclusion.
This is a good list and a good interview.
What crime genre novels would you want to include in the Top Ten? I love CUBA LIBRE, but let’s focus on the contemporary.
I would fight for 52 PICKUP, OUT OF SIGHT, and THE SWITCH.
Here is a link to a TOP TEN sampling from last year.