Be Cool by Elmore Leonard

In this sequel to the highly enjoyable Get Shorty, we are re-introduced to the affable former loan shark turned film producer Chili Palmer. After witnessing his friend (and record company owner) Tommy Athens get executed, Chili helps his Athens' widow Edie resurrect the company by signing a female singer / songwriter named Linda Moon.

Along the way, Chili has to hide from the Russian mob (who killed Athens and are now looking for Chili, who witnessed the crime), as well as Linda Moon's former manager, who also wants to kill Chili for having stolen Linda from him. Other notable characters include the hitman Joe Loop, Elliot the gay Samoan bodyguard and the rock group Aerosmith.

Elmore Leonard is an excellent writer who can craft brilliant dialogue and quirky, memorable characters. For these reasons I enjoyed reading this book. At the same time, however, I felt that Be Cool rehashed a lot of the material from Get Shorty. To use an analogy, reading Be Cool was like eating an excellent meal for the second straight day in a row. The dinner is still good, but not as enjoyable as the first time you ate it, for leftovers are rarely -- if ever -- as good as the original meal.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars