Picket Line: The Lost Novella – The Lost Novella and Two Stories from the Greatest Crime Writer of Our Time

by Elmore Leonard, C.M. Kushins (introduction)

The first major release in nearly a decade from the late New York Times bestselling author Elmore the never-before-published story of a budding agricultural strike in Texas, the racial tension brewing in the fields, and what happens when brutality from “the man” goes unchecked.

“If a man comes out of the field and goes on the picket line, even for one day, he’ll never be the same...” 

Chino and Paco Rojas seem well-mannered, at least for Chicanos, to the white cops that pull them over for littering on the long drive from California to Trinity, Texas. So well-mannered, in fact, that Captain Frank McKellan lets them off with a warning and recommends them a job at Stanzik Farms, the largest independent melon grower in the area. But Chino and Paco didn’t drive all this way for work. Instead, Chino is looking for a mysterious man, Vincent Mora, whose new Valley Agricultural Workers Association is causing a scene striking against the farm owners. 

Stanzik’s fields and Mora’s union bring together a cast of unlikely Connie Chavez, a former picker and blossoming revolutionary who leads with a bullhorn and a fearless mouth; Bud Davis, a white Xavier University student working for spending money; Harold Ritchie, a local marine-turned-cop; Luis Tamez, a striker whose grandson served with Harold in Vietnam; and many more, including the pragmatic Chino, who finds himself pulled irrevocably into the cause. Some are neighbors, others just passing through. Some know each other well, or at least thought they did…before the picket line.  

This never-before-published gem from master storyteller Elmore Leonard describes the early days of an unprecedented farmers’ movement; the complex cast of Chicanos, Anglos, and migrants that impact the union; and the careful balance of passion, patience, and pure, stupid guts that it takes to hold the line. 

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Short Stories, Crime, Audiobook, American, Literature

106 pages, Hardcover

Published September 30, 2025

About the author

Elmore John Leonard lived in Dallas, Oklahoma City and Memphis before settling in Detroit in 1935. After serving in the navy, he studied English literature at the University of Detroit where he entered a short story competition. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.

Father of Peter Leonard.

Reviews

[Thomas]

This is not the usual Elmore Leonard book. It is not a western or a crime story. It is a story about migrant and Mexican American workers in Texas near the Mexican border. There is an effort by an agricultural union to get them to join a union and secure better pay and working conditions. The farm owner is aided in his strikebreaking efforts by the local corrupt sheriff's department. The interaction between the union organizers on the pocket line, the farm workers, the foremen and the Sheriff Deputies makes for an interesting story. It was originally written at the request of a Hollywood producer who then decided against it. Leonard rewrote it and it was turned into a movie by Charles Bronson, "Mr. Majestyk."
So this novella was found among the deceased author's papers and is now being published. It is only 128 pages and can be read in one day.
I rate it 4 stars and recommend it to Elmore Leonard fans.
#PicketLine #NetGalley.
Thank You Mariner Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub. date Sept 30, 2025

[Michael Burke]

Holding the Line

The death of a favorite artist brings a wave of grief, inevitably coupled with a yearning for just one final visit, one last treat. Maybe there was something unfinished, a final piece awaiting the last finishing touches. In the world of music, it often results in a mixed bag. Jimi Hendrix's estate, for instance, released virtually everything in the vaults. Quality studio albums by Tupac were cranked out for years. George Harrison opposed cleaning up "Now and Then" after John Lennon's death, though Harrison's own album, “Brainwashed," was beautifully completed posthumously. One can only wonder what treasures still lie hidden within Prince’s Paisley Park Studios.

For readers, the passing of a favorite writer brings not only grief for the author, but also the sudden, permanent end to the hope of any future works. This was the case for me with the late Tony Hillerman, and again with the passing of Elmore Leonard. Leonard became a favorite during my short stint as a bookstore manager. I began with his crime novels, moved through his earlier westerns, and finished with his final works, devouring everything I could find by him until his death in 2013. Though many films adapted from his writings were just bad, some were truly exceptional, including “Hombre,” “3:10 to Yuma,” “Out of Sight,” “Jackie Brown,” and “Get Shorty.” The brilliant television series “Justified” is also based on his writing.

Earlier this year, Mariner Books announced its release of “The Picket Line,” a major release, a lost novella by Leonard. Almost immediately, his longtime researcher, Gregg Sutter, posted a clarification on Facebook: “Picket Line is not major, it’s not lost, and most importantly, it’s not a novella. It’s the first act and de facto treatment for a motion picture that never got made—but would live on in another form.

“Picket Line” was originally started as a screenplay for Clint Eastwood in 1970 about farmworkers striking in Texas. Eastwood eventually passed on it and sections were cannibalized for the Charles Bronson movie, “Mr. Majestyk.”

Elmore Leonard's exceptional writing is on full display in "Picket Line," featuring his trademark authentic setting, and completely believable characters and dialogue. While some recommend this short piece as a perfect introduction to his work, others find it incomplete. I agree with the latter perspective. It is a great setup, but ends up like a great looking tennis serve that never lands. If, like myself, you are a devoted reader of his, then the “for completist only” label can apply. Choose almost any other of his novels, and please do not prejudge it on a misguided movie adaptation.

Thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #PicketLine #NetGalley

[Terry]

Elmore Leonard proves he can still hit the bullseye from beyond the grave. Picket Line: The Lost Novella is being published twelve years after his death. It feels startlingly timely given some of the issues shaking America right now.

Originally conceived as the basis for a film that never came to be, this novella arrives with an intriguing backstory, explained in the introduction. I found that peek into Leonard’s creative process fascinating. Still, what a shame the movie was never made. I would have loved to see it on screen.

The story itself unfolds over 24 hours in rural Texas, where an agricultural union is striking for better wages for melon pickers. The characters are compelling, though they would have benefited from the breathing room of a longer novel. You catch glimpses of deeper complexity, but the brevity of the tale means those layers remain just out of reach. The setting, however, is richly done. Having passed through that part of Texas many times, and having lived in Mexico for a year, I could vividly picture the landscape. Leonard sets his story decades before my own travels, but it still felt familiar.

This was my first time reading Leonard, and it will not be my last. His knack for capturing characters’ voices is outstanding, and his lean, direct style kept me hooked. At just 128 pages, this novella is a one-sitting read. Yet it manages to highlight issues that still resonate today. The casual racism directed at the striking workers was shocking and heartbreaking. It is also, unfortunately, all too recognizable. I finished the last page wishing I could follow these characters into the next day and the one after that.

I would recommend this to most readers, as the issues it raises are still important today. It will be especially meaningful to longtime fans of Elmore Leonard, as well as to readers who enjoy novellas and stories that highlight cultural struggles and social justice.

A small book with a big punch. Well done, Mr. Leonard. Thank you for leaving us this story.

Many thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

[Still]

Started yesterday evening finished this morning having saved reading the introduction by C. M. Kushins for afterwards.

The introduction provides an eye opening account for Elmore Leonard fans of Leonard’s attempts to pull himself out of the paperback original Western field and write something more contemporary.

This novella was a prose proposal for a film to be based on the 1965 Delano Grape Strike which led to the popularity of that strike’s leader, Cesar Chavez. Elmore Leonard’s agent at the time had sent feelers out in Hollywood seeking a screenwriting gig for his client. The idea or proposal came from two then hot-shit producers who basically commissioned this novella.

It would all fall apart in the end and the rights to the novella reverted back to Leonard and they remained in his archives just prior to being rediscovered and published in 2025.

This novella would be fleshed out later with different protagonists and plot developments and characters’ motivations shifted about and published as a movie tie-in paperback original, Mr. Majestyk.

As it is, especially for Elmore Leonard enthusiasts, this is overpriced but worthy of reading.
What this contains are examples of Leonard becoming the writer legions of fans recognize to this day.
Not that the plot actually goes anywhere… which makes it more suitable for today’s diminished reading-for-fun populace.
The novella introduces some extremely interesting characters and ends with the reader yearning for a longer visit with these complicated actors whose motivations remain questionable come the final page.

It’s a quick, easy read. Faster read than say, the first 5 issues of The Fantastic Four.

Recommended for Elmore Leonard fanatics and completists only.

[David Mc]

To read a lost novella by the late, great Elmore Leonard was akin to taking a trip down memory lane. Unlike the crime thrillers that he wrote throughout his career, the Picket Line focuses on farmworkers striking for better pay for their labor, amidst a background of poverty and inherent racism. Leonard’s gift for storytelling and character development (*which covered a wide range of diverse characters) was definitely on display; however, as the story ended very abruptly with too many unanswered questions, this short novel was a bit of a disappointment. All in all, if Leonard made this a fully complete novel, it is likely that it would have ranked among his more memorable works. In any event, while I would have liked to give the book 3-½ stars, I’ve rounded things off to four stars.

[Adam McPhee]

Didn't feel complete but it wasn't bad, either.

[Joyce D]

really more of a 3.5
I have never read an Elmore Leonard novel but have seen several of the movies based on his books (Get Shorty and Jackie Brown). Trying to expand my reading even more this year.
The whole book is really a story based on a strike on melon picking somewhere in Texas. Based on the dates that the lost novella was found, it seems to be set in and around the early 70's. Lots of migrant pickers from Mexico doing most of the farm labor in Texas. Melon picking included.
The story has a 'dry' and gritty tone (especially at the beginning) but picks up steam during the middle and end of the story. The Workers Association stages a picket line for better wages and the story swirls around the picket line and the 'boss' of the association. I was going to say it was a 'fun' read but really it is a small but serious piece about the country and the people.
A small secret revealed almost at the end. :)

[doowopapocalypse]

The writing is as good as ever. Tension slowly ratchets up, though we maybe miss the payoff.

[Pamela]

I have not read any of Elmore Leonard’s books before, so this may be an odd place to start. He has an extensive bibliography mostly in a genre I don’t read, so maybe this is a good place to start. The introduction covers how this novella came to be published, and a bit of history of the piece, which was first written for the screen.

What appealed to me was the labor aspect. I tend towards work fiction in a way, and this one covers that, with a union and a strike. The workplace here is a melon field in Texas, the workers Spanish speaking maybe migrants. Since there is a strike some of the pickers have different people in the field, such as a young white college kid. The story opens with three guys driving in from California.

Even though the book is short, there lacks depth of character, not much development. Perhaps there were too many characters. I’ve read shorter pieces with better understanding of a character. In any case, this did feel too short. There was some action, but it ended too soon. The story felt like a moment in a larger story.


Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. However, I listened to a published audiobook copy of the book.

[Tim Field]

Picket Line was a quick read and a little frustrating because Elmore Leonard creates a batch of interesting characters and shuts the story down just as it was getting good. From reading the introduction I understand why the novella is in the form it is but I still want to see how the dueling ideologies of Chino and Mora played out.
An atypical Leonard tale but enjoyable nevertheless.
It was good to read some more Leonard because I miss having a yearly release from this literary giant.
Recommended for Leonard completists.

[Ken]

Elmore Leonard's previously unpublished novella PICKET LINE is a rich character study
in the style of Ernest Hemingway. He preferred to allow the characters to present them-
selves through dialogue and behavior. Background was always lean, minimal.

The plotline covers 24 hours and is set on or near the melon fields of Texas. The topic:
a budding strike of migrant workers. The cast, a dozen figures, each with a past, each
interacting in the present. Originally written to be a screenplay, Leonard reworked the
storyline and characters several times before going back to other works in progress.
It was never approved by the producer.

Leonard's PICKET LINE is a rare achievement in literature as It tackles a hard subject
of American life from 2 different angles . It provides an objective perspective while it
entertains. Surprisingly, all without shootouts, explosions or extended car chases.

C.M. Kushins' introduction to the book is well worth reading. For additional reading I
highly recommend DUTCH ON DUTCH by T.V. LoCicero. These interviews explain his
writing habits and style. An honest, personal look into the behind-the -scenes workings
of a prolific, award winning body of work.

The concept of PICKET LINE was "born" on or about 1970 and was lost a few years later.
Now, over 50 years later, it reappears. Timeless. Current. Meaningful. It is what every
great writer hopes to achieve at least once in his career.

[Philip Girvan]

a day in the life

[Neal Reinhardt]

this is just a glimpse of the unspoken labor force driving our economy and the struggle for fair wages, benefits. well done EL

[Rob]

I definitely miss Elmore Leonard.

This Novella is from a 1970's story Leonard chose to submit to a subscription - based online magazine called Contentville.However, the magazine went under before Picket Line would be published. And so, the long - shelved Novella was reshelved within the author's home archive. Until now.

This story is of an Agricultural strike in Texas, where racial tension starts to brew in the fields, and what happens when brutality from " The Man " goes unchecked.

Short and to the point - it is a fulfilling read from Leonard's earlier writings that still stands up today.

[Eleanor]

Girl shocked when half assed political commentary written by mid white guy is bad. Publishing this in 2025 is insane. “The lost novella” maybe it didn’t need to be found

[Andrew Monge]

PICKET LINE by Elmore Leonard is a literary neo-western that tackles issues such as race relations, labor conditions, and abuse of power. Written 50+ years ago, yet given the current climate of the nation, you’d think it was ripped from today’s headlines. A short, timely novella that is well worth a read.

[Jason McCracken]

It very interesting reading this less than a month after Mr Majestyk as they both start the exact same way (close to word-for-word) and while Mr Majestyk goes down the Hollywood rout, this goes with a more literary political statement. I'm almost embarrassed to say that I preferred the Hollywood version 😳 and the fact that this was never published while Mr Majestyk became a book and film says that I'm not alone.

[Michael Compton]

Page for page, this day-in-the-life of a fledgling strike among melon pickers in Texas is as good as anything Leonard ever wrote. His cast of characters-- union organizers, Chicano pickers, county sheriffs, and a black and white misfit pair who act as a kind of Greek chorus--all step off the page as fully flesh-and-blood as anyone you might find in any bar or diner. According to the lengthy introduction, this slim volume--originally written as a script treatment for Clint Eastwood, and ultimately cannibalized for the Charles Bronson vehicle Mr. Majestyk--represents Leonard's first experiment with the pared-down style and multiple viewpoints that would become his trademark. It is a good read, but it was obviously never intended as a complete, standalone narrative, because it seems to end just as all the pieces have been positioned. As enjoyable as it is, I came away wishing Leonard had gotten back to it and worked it out to completion.

[Derrick]

Classic Elmore Leonard! Excellent dialogue as always. This book is really short so we don't get to know the characters all that well. Chino and Paco seemed pretty cool from the little time we do get to spend with them. I enjoyed the different narratives and reading the story from different characters' points of view throughout the book. Elmore Leonard is one of the all time greats and definitely one of my favorite authors! I will be reading more books by him.

[Kate Willis]

My first taste of this iconic author's writing, and I'm already excited for more. I loved the sparse, character-focused writing style, the subtle themes of power and injustice and racism, and the ambiguous ending.

I didn't know much about the farmworkers' strikes, so I'm glad I read this.

CW: language, racism, sexual innuendos.

[Gigi’s bibliophile]

The Picket Line was really short but honestly so interesting! I loved how it focused on the farmers standing up and going on strike because they knew they deserved to be paid more. But omg, I hated seeing how violently the cops treated them 😭 Such a short story, but it definitely had an important message.

[Sherrie]

This evocative short novella was shopped around Hollywood by Leonard and would eventually become the movie Mr. Majestyk - which wasn't very faithful to Leonard's vision or intent to dig into the crisis of farmworkers trapped between falling into abject poverty or working for a degrading pittance with no labor rights whatsoever. The novella moves between the POV of many characters, while the film makes a hero of a white farmer and introduces an organized crime element. My "Reading Every Leonard Novel or Short Story" journey continues.

[James]

Solid 3.5
I am a huge fan of Leonard’s work, books and movies.
I was excited to read the list novella.
Solid start to what I would suspect could have been a fabulous novel and/or movie as it was originally intended.
I enjoyed this but wanted more.
It was act one with no conclusion.

[Lyle Boylen]

It was great to see a new book by Elmore Leonard, one of my all-time favourite writers.

[Marie D]

Riveting story. And completely backwards and inhumane that agricultural workers are excluded from the NLRA.

[Shawn McGuan]

I’m definitely of two minds here: this is an obvious wringing of the pocketbooks of Elmore Leonard’s fanbase, but being a card carrying member of said fanbase, I knew that from the second I picked it up and still made the purchase because I was just glad to read the man’s writing yet again, over a decade since he has passed. Loved to revisit his character work and economic yet impactful writing. But ultimately this is incomplete, as the introduction informs us, as it began as a treatment for a possible film that never came to be, was reworked in one form as “Mr Majestyk” and this version, originally intended as an e-book release 50 years after the fact. (Also, wild to read some of the reviews for this one for people who are experiencing Leonard here for the first time. Please do yourselves a favor and take a second chance on ol’ Dutch Leonard, people).

[Leanne Ellis]

Great, zippy dialogue, well-paced, strong characters, nice shifting POVs - all hallmarks of Leonard's style. So easy to slip into this world, even just for a couple of minutes. Obviously, this novella is unfinished in a sense - we don't get a complete story, just the beginning of a conflict - but it puts the reader into the world of farmworkers' struggles, the racism, the exploitation, the freedom and joy of saying fuck you to oppression.

[Lori]

A short, intense glimpse into a migrant worker labour dispute with Leonard's usual laser focused writing. The tension starts on page one and doesn't stop until the last word.

“If a man comes out of the field and goes on the picket line, even for one day, he’ll never be the same...”

[Bolt Reads]

Of course this is good—it’s Elmore Leonard. Picket Line showcases everything that makes his writing so strong: clean prose, steady pacing, and characters who feel authentic and layered. The story moves with purpose, drawing you in from the first page and holding your attention all the way through.
Leonard has a way of making every scene feel grounded and real, and this book is no exception. If you appreciate clear storytelling and masterful control of language, Picket Line is a rewarding read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Cathy VanLear]

Quick and easy read for lovers of stories about social justice and cultural struggles. This novella covers a 24 hour period during an attempt to unionize melon pickers in the heart of Texas. Elmore Leonard’s direct style, ability to capture character voices, and focus on issues still relevant today left me wanting more. Thanks to Goodreads for this opportunity.