La Brava (novel)

La Brava
First edition
Author	Elmore Leonard
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Thriller,
Publisher	Arbor House
Publication date	January 1983
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
ISBN	0-380-69237-6
OCLC	11351383

La Brava, the 1983 novel by author Elmore Leonard, follows the story of Joe LaBrava, former Secret Service agent. This novel won the 1984 Edgar Award for Best Novel.^[1]

Plot summary

Joe LaBrava gets involved with former movie star Jean Shaw, whom he admired as a twelve-year-old boy staring at a movie screen, when he discovers that she is being harassed by thug Richard Nobles and his partner Cundo Rey.

Reception

According to Christopher Lehmann-Haupt of The New York Times, "What's unusual about LaBrava is that no matter how complicated its implications grow, it remains firmly rooted in its realistic milieu. And despite all the double-crossing mayhem it metes out, nobody gets hurt who doesn't deserve to. The only innocent victim is the dream of Florida as a golden sunset for the old and infirm to fade peacefully into."^[2]

Characters in LaBrava

Joe LaBrava – former Secret Service agent, photographer
Richard Nobles – rent-a-cop
Cundo Rey – Marielito partner of Richard Nobles
Jean Shaw – former movie star
Maurice Zola – friend of Joe LaBrava and Jean Shaw
Paco Boza – Man who travels around in a wheelchair he stole from Eastern Airlines
Franny – Girl who sells beauty products. Has eye on Joe.

Location

The setting of "LaBrava" is South Beach, Florida. Maurice Zola wistfully recalls the heyday of the 1930s and 1940s when the area had a cachet with movie stars. By the 1980s the area had fallen into disrepair and drug activity was rife. Movies such as "Scarface" and T.V Series such as "Miami Vice" showed this seamy side of South Beach. It is in this era that "LaBrava" is set. From the 1990s the area became gentrified.

Cancelled Movie

Dustin Hoffman was slated to appear in a movie adaption of LaBrava. It was cancelled due to a contract dispute.^[3]

References

↑ Egdar Award Winners Database http://theedgars.com/
↑ http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/02/08/home/leonard-labrava.html
↑ http://articles.latimes.com/1986-03-28/entertainment/ca-896_1_dustin-hoffman

External links

LeBrava @ Elmore Leonard's Official website

Works by Elmore Leonard

Novels	Hombre (1961) The Big Bounce (1969) Swag (1976) Unknown Man No. 89 (1977) The Hunted (1977) City Primeval (1980) Split Images (1981) La Brava (1983) Glitz (1985) Killshot (1989) Get Shorty (1990) Rum Punch (1992) Pronto (1993) Riding the Rap (1995) Naked Came the Manatee (1996) Out of Sight (1996) Cuba Libre (1998) Pagan Babies (2000) Tishomingo Blues (2002) A Coyote's in the House (2004) The Hot Kid (2005) Road Dogs (2009) Djibouti (2010) Raylan (2012)

Short stories	"Three-Ten to Yuma" (1953)

Screenplays	Joe Kidd (1972) Mr. Majestyk (1974) High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane (1980) The Rosary Murders (1987)

Film adaptations	The Tall T (1957) 3:10 to Yuma (1957) Hombre (1967) The Big Bounce (1969) The Moonshine War (1970) Valdez Is Coming (1971) The Ambassador (1984) Stick (1985) 52 Pick-Up (1986) Cat Chaser (1989) Get Shorty (1995) Jackie Brown (1997) Last Stand at Saber River (1997) Touch (1997) Out of Sight (1998) The Big Bounce (2004) Be Cool (2005) 3:10 to Yuma (2007) Killshot (2009) Life of Crime (2013)

Television adaptations	Maximum Bob (1998) Karen Sisco (2003) Justified (2010–2015)

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