Standalone Crime Novels Books in Order

The Standalone Crime Novels collection by Elmore Leonard represents the life's work of one of the greatest American crime writers of the twentieth century — a body of fiction so distinctive in voice and technique that it has influenced an entire generation of crime novelists, screenwriters, and filmmakers. Leonard began his career writing Westerns before pivoting to crime fiction in the 1970s, and his standalone novels encompass everything from Detroit street crime to Florida con artistry to Hollywood satire, all written in his unmistakable style: short chapters, propulsive dialogue, point-of-view that slips between characters, and a complete absence of the authorial moralising that weighs down lesser crime fiction.

Leonard's great subject is the American criminal underclass and the people who brush up against it — small-time crooks, bail bondsmen, federal marshals, movie producers, and ordinary people caught in extraordinary situations. His villains are often more compelling than his heroes, his heroes are often morally complicated, and his dialogue — spare, rhythmic, and character-specific — is widely regarded as some of the finest in American fiction. Hemingway admired it. Quentin Tarantino has acknowledged a profound debt to it.

Spanning 32 novels from The Big Bounce (1969) through Raylan (2012), plus numerous short stories, this collection includes classics like Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Jackie Brown, Rum Punch, and Maximum Bob — many of which were adapted into acclaimed films and TV series. Each novel stands completely alone. An ideal entry point is Get Shorty (1990) or Out of Sight (1996).