Pronto
A short, suspenseful crime novel full of witty dialogue and characters who speak like real people, not Hollywood gangsters. It's also the first major appearance of Raylan Givens (later the main character of the series Justified).
Harry Arno, a 66-year-old Miami Beach accountant who launders money for the mob, decides to “retire” and steal $65,000 from Jimmy Capotorto, an organized crime boss. When Jimmy starts looking for his money and his head, the FBI warns Harry that he is on a hit list. Harry flees to Rapallo on the Italian Riviera, where he spent World War II as a deserter and has fallen in love with the town.
He is pursued by three men:
- U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, a cool-headed cowboy with a hat who is supposed to bring Harry back to testify against the mob;
- Tommy Bucks (“Zip”), a hitman sent by Jimmy to finish the job;
- Joyce, Harry’s much younger lover, who is unsure whether she wants to save him or just take the money.
In Rapallo, past and present collide: Raylan and Zip play cat and mouse in the narrow streets, Harry tries to relive his war dream, and Joyce realizes that Harry is a charmer and a con man all in one. The ending is typically Leonardian – fast, unexpected, and full of dark humor.
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