I want to read Rum Punch, but also all stories connected to that story.

I love the movie Jackie Brown (1997) and i knew it was an adaptation of a Elmore novel, Rum Punch (1992), but I never read it (and now I want to) and I just discovered that a lot of recurring characters appears also in his other works, but I want to know if I’m missing something before reading that “storyline” one after one.

The Switch (1978) is the first novel with Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara. It’s supposed to be adapted in a movie (in 2012, I hope)... It’s obviously set before Rum Punch.
By the way, can you tell me who is the third character in The Switch that comes back in Rum Punch?

In the movie Jackie Brown, Michael Keaton plays Ray Nicolette. He reprise his role in Out of Sight (1998), a movie based on the novel Out of Sight (1996).
So I’ll consider Out of Sight as a sequel even if it doesn’t follow a major character.

Just before (or after?) the novel Out of Sight (1996), I learned that Elmore also wrote a short story, “Karen Makes Out” (1996), Karen Sisko being a major character in Out of Sight.

They also made a TV Series called “Karen Sisko” (1998), a kind of sequel to Out of Sight, the movie (1998).

Finally, Elmore wrote the novel Road Dogs (2009) in which Karen Sisko is referenced.

So, I’ve got that order so far:

- The Switch
- Rum Punch——————- Movie: Jackie Brown
- “Karen Makes Out”
- Out of Sight——————Movie: Out of Sight
-—————————————TV-Series: “Karen Sisko”
- Road Dogs

Please, feel free to correct me or add anything else that I missed! Thanks!

And after reading those stories, I’ll grab some more books by Elmore!

You are not that far off.  I would not consider OUT OF SIGHT a sequel to RUM PUNCH.  Elmore Leonard refers to and puts in past characters with all his books. 

Check out TOUCHSTONES for all the character connections.

Melanie (“that fine big woman” in the book) is in THE SWITCH and RUM PUNCH.

THE SWITCH
RUM PUNCH (JACKIE BROWN movie)

“Karen Makes Out” (first episode of the “Karen Sisco” TV series and included in the fine collection, WHEN THE WOMEN COME OUT TO DANCE)
OUT OF SIGHT (OUT OF SIGHT movie)
“Karen Sisco” TV Series
ROAD DOGS

Other direct sequels:

Carl Webster Series:
“Tenkiller” (in the collection WTWCOTD)
“Showdown at Checotah:  How Carlos Webster Changed his Name to Carl and Became a Famous Lawman” (included in the COMFORT TO THE ENEMY book)
“Louly and Pretty Boy” (included in the COMFORT TO THE ENEMY book)
THE HOT KID
COMFORT TO THE ENEMY
UP IN HONEY’S ROOM

Raylan Givins Series:
PRONTO (PRONTO TV movie)
RIDING THE RAP
“Fire In The Hole” (in the collection WTWCOTD)
“Justified” FX TV series
New Raylan Book (coming soon)

Thanks a lot Robb for the very quick answer!

And I saved the link (Touchstones) to my Bookmarks!

Tomorrow I’ll buy The Switch on my iPad and will finally read my first Elmore Leonard novel!

I envy you.  Once you start, you won’t stop.

When Quentin Tarantino was a kid, he stole a copy of Elmore Leonard’s The Switch and got caught. Unrepentant, he later went back to the same store and stole the book again. Elmore Leonard was a beacon in the direction that he would soon head in his films.

Mr. Walker, also in The Switch and Rum Punch, has a small appearance in the Raylan Givens novel Riding the Rap when Louis and Walker reference the events of Rum Punch briefly on the phone. So another connection for you there.

crjakes - 22 August 2011 04:00 PM

Mr. Walker, also in The Switch and Rum Punch, has a small appearance in the Raylan Givens novel Riding the Rap when Louis and Walker reference the events of Rum Punch briefly on the phone. So another connection for you there.

Cedric Walker.  Good one.

Fantastic thanks!

Reading the book right now, I’m a slow reader (because my first language is French, so I’m far from the fastest English reader!) but I like it very much! Can be hard at some place for a Frenchy, but the story flows and it’s great!

You may want to read LaBrava before Road Dogs.  One of the key characters in Road Dogs is Cundo Rey, who first appeared in LaBrava.  He’s a great character and Dutch liked him so much he brought him back in Road Dogs.