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Hap and Leonard #10
Rusty Puppy
Hap and Leonard investigate a racially motivated murder that threatens to tear apart their East Texas town.
While Hap, a former 60s activist and self-proclaimed white trash rebel, is recovering from a life-threatening stab wound, Louise Elton comes into Hap and Leonard's PI office to tell him that the police have killed her son, Jamar.
Months earlier, a bully cop pulled over and sexually harassed Jamar's sister, Charm. The officer followed Charm over the course of the next couple of months, leading Jamar to videotape and take notes on the cop and his partner. The next thing Louise hears, Jamar got in a fight and is killed in the projects by local hoods. It doesn't add up: he was a straight A student, destined for better things, until he began to ask too many questions about the racist police force.
Leonard, a tough black gay Vietnam vet and Republican, joins Hap in the investigation, and they stumble upon the racial divides that have shaped their Eastern Texas town. But if anyone can navigate these pitfalls and bring the killers to justice, it's Hap and Leonard.
Filled with Lansdale's trademark whip-smart dialogue, colorful characters, and relentless pacing, Rusty Puppy is Joe Lansdale at his page-turning best.
While Hap, a former 60s activist and self-proclaimed white trash rebel, is recovering from a life-threatening stab wound, Louise Elton comes into Hap and Leonard's PI office to tell him that the police have killed her son, Jamar.
Months earlier, a bully cop pulled over and sexually harassed Jamar's sister, Charm. The officer followed Charm over the course of the next couple of months, leading Jamar to videotape and take notes on the cop and his partner. The next thing Louise hears, Jamar got in a fight and is killed in the projects by local hoods. It doesn't add up: he was a straight A student, destined for better things, until he began to ask too many questions about the racist police force.
Leonard, a tough black gay Vietnam vet and Republican, joins Hap in the investigation, and they stumble upon the racial divides that have shaped their Eastern Texas town. But if anyone can navigate these pitfalls and bring the killers to justice, it's Hap and Leonard.
Filled with Lansdale's trademark whip-smart dialogue, colorful characters, and relentless pacing, Rusty Puppy is Joe Lansdale at his page-turning best.
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 23, 2017
142 people are currently reading
1278 people want to read
About the author
Joe R. Lansdale
822 books3,854 followersChampion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.
He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.
He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
February 26, 2017
When the woman who lives across the street from Brett's detective agency hires them to find out who killed her son, Hap and Leonard wind up in Camp Rapture, where the cops are worse than the criminals...
Rusty Puppy, the twelfth Hap and Leonard novel, features the dynamic duo we've all come to know and love, Hap and Leonard. As usual, the boys are in way over their heads, making smart ass remarks and sticking their noses where they don't belong.
Joe Lansdale's writing is as hilarious as ever, full of his front porch wisdom and hilarious one-liners. I'd say there's a quoteable line on almost every page. As per usual, the violence is pretty harsh once it finally arrives and the bad guys are huge scumbags. I like where things have gone with Chance and that Hap still bears some scars from the events of the last book.
While I enjoyed this as much as the last few, the series is starting to feel kind of formulaic. Hap and Leonard are still total bad asses despite having to be in their sixties at this point in the series. While the bad guys are pretty bad, there was no point that I thought they'd get the best of Hap and Leonard. Also, Marvin Hanson has covered for Hap and Leonard a few too many times to still have a badge.
Another gripe I had is that all the dangling threads from the last book were already resolved by the time this book was published in Briar Patch Boogie: A Hap and Leonard Novelette and Hap and Leonard: Blood and Lemonade.
Gripes aside, Lansdale still writes some of the best dialogue in crime fiction and I still devoured this thing in two sittings. It's gripping, and while I knew how it would end, it was still a lot of fun getting there and even a lesser Hap and Leonard book is still more enjoyable than a lot of books on the racks. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Rusty Puppy, the twelfth Hap and Leonard novel, features the dynamic duo we've all come to know and love, Hap and Leonard. As usual, the boys are in way over their heads, making smart ass remarks and sticking their noses where they don't belong.
Joe Lansdale's writing is as hilarious as ever, full of his front porch wisdom and hilarious one-liners. I'd say there's a quoteable line on almost every page. As per usual, the violence is pretty harsh once it finally arrives and the bad guys are huge scumbags. I like where things have gone with Chance and that Hap still bears some scars from the events of the last book.
While I enjoyed this as much as the last few, the series is starting to feel kind of formulaic. Hap and Leonard are still total bad asses despite having to be in their sixties at this point in the series. While the bad guys are pretty bad, there was no point that I thought they'd get the best of Hap and Leonard. Also, Marvin Hanson has covered for Hap and Leonard a few too many times to still have a badge.
Another gripe I had is that all the dangling threads from the last book were already resolved by the time this book was published in Briar Patch Boogie: A Hap and Leonard Novelette and Hap and Leonard: Blood and Lemonade.
Gripes aside, Lansdale still writes some of the best dialogue in crime fiction and I still devoured this thing in two sittings. It's gripping, and while I knew how it would end, it was still a lot of fun getting there and even a lesser Hap and Leonard book is still more enjoyable than a lot of books on the racks. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
December 11, 2016
The new Hap and Leonard book by Joe R. Lansdale titled “Rusty Puppy”, the follow up to the book titled “Honky Tonk Samurai” should really appeal to the fans of the duo. The book is mainly about Hap and Leonard and is not some big budget Hollywood production full of special effects and lots of explosions. If unfamiliar with this series, Hap Collins is a white guy, and Leonard Pine is a gay black man. They are like brothers. Watching the television series on Sundance or Amazon or I-tunes will fill in some of the blanks. Or read the books.
In this story Hap is hired by the woman who lives across the street from their new detective agency office to find out the circumstances concerning her son’s murder. The woman actually wants to hire Leonard, as he looks more like a detective than Hap does, but settles for Hap anyway. The woman only has about forty bucks and some change, yet Hap tells her he will do what he can to find out the details.
With the stage set we join Hap and Leonard in this rabbit hole of an investigation. Mr. Lansdale has created a great new character in this installment who just happens to be an eight year old girl. She steals the scene whenever she appears. Leonard refers to her as a four hundred year old vampire.
“Rusty Puppy” is the best Hap and Leonard in a while, even though the Duo don’t sing, there are a few deaths, lots of cursing, more information regarding both of the duo’s sexual exploits and lots of fun excellent dialog and narrative provided..
I believe there is another Hap and Leonard book due out in the December/January 2017 time frame from Subterranean Press titled “Coco Butter” being an 88 page novella, I really look forward to it’s appearance.
This is an ARC copy of the book signed by Joe R. Lansdale at "Scene of the Crime Books".
In this story Hap is hired by the woman who lives across the street from their new detective agency office to find out the circumstances concerning her son’s murder. The woman actually wants to hire Leonard, as he looks more like a detective than Hap does, but settles for Hap anyway. The woman only has about forty bucks and some change, yet Hap tells her he will do what he can to find out the details.
With the stage set we join Hap and Leonard in this rabbit hole of an investigation. Mr. Lansdale has created a great new character in this installment who just happens to be an eight year old girl. She steals the scene whenever she appears. Leonard refers to her as a four hundred year old vampire.
“Rusty Puppy” is the best Hap and Leonard in a while, even though the Duo don’t sing, there are a few deaths, lots of cursing, more information regarding both of the duo’s sexual exploits and lots of fun excellent dialog and narrative provided..
I believe there is another Hap and Leonard book due out in the December/January 2017 time frame from Subterranean Press titled “Coco Butter” being an 88 page novella, I really look forward to it’s appearance.
This is an ARC copy of the book signed by Joe R. Lansdale at "Scene of the Crime Books".
February 19, 2017
Rusty Puppy is the latest entry in the Hap and Leonard series by Joe Lansdale.
The pair are hired by the lady across the street to help find her son's murderer. The local cops are not only unhelpful, they are suspected of being involved. As always, the pair are happy to help and find themselves involved with corrupt lawmen, scuzzy lawyers and a foul-mouthed, 400 year old midget vampire. (You'll see.)
I believe the main draw for these books is the back and forth between Hap and Leonard and this book is no exception. I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit and with everything going on in the world today, I welcomed the respite.
There's also a killer fight scene towards the end of the book that loyal readers won't want to miss.
Hap and Leonard lovers should enjoy this volume of the series just as much as the rest of them, if not just a smidge more. Highly recommended, especially to fans of the series!
Available on February 21, 2017, here: Rusty Puppy (Hap and Leonard)
*Thanks to Mulholland Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
The pair are hired by the lady across the street to help find her son's murderer. The local cops are not only unhelpful, they are suspected of being involved. As always, the pair are happy to help and find themselves involved with corrupt lawmen, scuzzy lawyers and a foul-mouthed, 400 year old midget vampire. (You'll see.)
I believe the main draw for these books is the back and forth between Hap and Leonard and this book is no exception. I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit and with everything going on in the world today, I welcomed the respite.
There's also a killer fight scene towards the end of the book that loyal readers won't want to miss.
Hap and Leonard lovers should enjoy this volume of the series just as much as the rest of them, if not just a smidge more. Highly recommended, especially to fans of the series!
Available on February 21, 2017, here: Rusty Puppy (Hap and Leonard)
*Thanks to Mulholland Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
March 26, 2023
"Hope ain't nothing but shit misspelled."
Initial Thoughts
My three favourite things in the world. My daughter, my Kindle and Joe R Lansdale's magnificent Hap and Leonard saga. Not necessarily in that order either. This series is probably what the author is best known for with fifteen books and three seasons in the TV series and I really can't get enough. It'll be a sad day in the Edmunds' household when I reach the end. This being book number ten that won't be too far in the distant future. Particularly with the rate I rip through them, like a wolverine with a case of rabies.
I've been a huge fan ever since I read the second book Mucho Mojo and have become so fond of the crime fighting pair that I really do see them as friends who I like to visit at least once a month to go for a few beers with, shoot the shit and have a dust up down at the local bar. In my opinion one of the greatest fictional duos out there. They're like modern day cowboys taking on a whole host of dastardly outlaws. And with a unique mix of side-splitting humour and top notch violence keeps I find myself regularly coming back for more. For me, they're a great way to freshen up your reading schedule when you find yourself plowing through more serious literature.
Seriously, if you have yet to experience Hap Collins and Leonard Pine then you are in for a treat and I'm envious of you being able to get acquainted with them for the first time. Take my word for it, you're going to have one hell of a time. So let's saddle up and see what the fantastically titled Rusty Puppy has in store for us.
The Story
This one kicks off pretty much right after the carnage of the last installment, Honky Tonk Samurai, with Hap recovering from a life-threatening stab to the gut. Not one to feel sorry for himself, he's back to work as a private investigator when a local woman pays a visit to plead for justice after the highly suspicious death of her only son.
Found beaten to a bloody pulp in the poverty-stricken, drug infested streets of Camp Rapture, and with the local police reluctant to investigate, the boys mother smells a rat. Convinced that the corrupt and crooked police within the town had a big hand in her son's death, she wants Leonard to pay a visit and get a first hand account from the only potential witness. But with Leonard busy exploring the joys of internet dating she's going to have make do with Hap, which isn't ideal on account of him being white.
It's not long and Leonard returns from his hot date and the pair are in the thick of it. Was the young man murdered by local hoods? Was it at the hands of the corrupt police? And what exactly is a rusty puppy? You can bet your ass that our favourite east Texas duo are going to get to the bottom of this!
"We are seriously a couple of badasses," Leonard said. "Look up badass in the dictionary, and our fucking picture is right under the word."
The Characters
If you've read any of my previous reviews then you already know that the bedrock of this fantastic series is it's characters and particularly the lead pair of Hap and Leonard. The dialogue between them is as sharp as a razor. There's no one out there the writes that trademark banter quite like Lansdale and in this one it's at it's sparkling best.
After reading a few of the short stories that connect to this one, I've realised you don't quite get the same level of back and forth dialogue that you get in a full novel. I didn't know how much I'd missed it till I was reading this. It's hilarious while at the same time being realistic, exuding a level of humanity that makes the characters come to life. It needs to be experienced firsthand.
What was refreshing in this one was that the side characters took a back seat and the focus was squarely back on Hap and Leonard, and it was almost like a throwback to the earlier novels. Lansdale has this ability to make you laugh amongst scenes of intense violence, while injecting a certain amount of humanity that can completely catch you by surprise. It's an absolute pleasure to read about the camaraderie that exists between these two. At its core it's a story about friendship and what that means, just as much as the mystery and punch ups, and for me that's what sets these books apart from others in the crime genre.
But that's not to say there weren't some colourful characters thrown into the mix and I couldn't finish without mentioning Reba, or the "four hundred year old vampire midget" as Leonard affectionately calls her. Her dialogue and personality was infectious and definitely addied an extra dimension to the story as she verbally sparred with the pair throughout. I've got my fingers crossed she's a returning character in future stories.
Final Thoughts
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this outing of Hap and Leonard. Lansdale is one of the most consistent authors out there and even when he's average that's still awesome by most authors standards. But overall, this is a middle of the road novel in this particular series and not amongst the very best it has to offer.
The mystery element was very straight forward and didn't keep me guessing right to the end. Plus, the main characters were never put in that much danger and got away fairly lightly all things considered. Therefore the tension and stakes were kept in a fairly low gear.
However, sometimes you do need a change of pace to keep things fresh and it was still very entertaining. If you're a fan like me you'll no doubt have a great time. It had some great cinematic scenes that would have translated fantastically to the big screen and it has me wondering why on earth they cancelled that show as some of those moments are absolute gold.
Anyway, this story left me wagging my tail like a good little puppy and now I'm ready for the next in the series. Hope you can join me on the Hap and Leonard train. Woof woof!
Thanks for reading and...cheers!
April 12, 2024
4 stars
short review for busy readers: Hap and Leonard get into hot water with a ring of corrupt cops this time. Somewhat less action than normal, but high banter levels. Enjoyable, oddball side characters. Lower body count than usual but still with some good action scenes.
in detail:
Brett Sawyer Investigations gets tasked with finding out who killed the lady across the street’s son. Uninterested police claim suicide, but it was obviously murder. Our boys investigate and come up against a corrupt law enforcement ring in the neighbouring town of Camp Rapture, as well as an inhospitable bartender with an attitude.
The star of the novel is a 10-year old girl from the projects by the name of Reba, who Leonard calls the 400 year old midget vampire. She’s outspoken and highly mature for her years, but with excellent observational and manipulation skills…which she uses on our heroes to knive her way into free meals and other bonuses. And our heroes are push-overs, aren't they?
When the action starts, it’s good, but it takes a while to start. The banter, however, is as good as ever.
One niggle: it’s fine if you are the proud dad of a daughter who is a country music singer and you mention her once, but the way Joe Lansdale keeps mentioning Kasey Lansdale in lists of famous country music acts, along with having Leonard listening to a specific song of hers is way too blatant of advertising, IMHO. It sticks out like a sore thumb and doesn’t do much for the story.
short review for busy readers: Hap and Leonard get into hot water with a ring of corrupt cops this time. Somewhat less action than normal, but high banter levels. Enjoyable, oddball side characters. Lower body count than usual but still with some good action scenes.
in detail:
Brett Sawyer Investigations gets tasked with finding out who killed the lady across the street’s son. Uninterested police claim suicide, but it was obviously murder. Our boys investigate and come up against a corrupt law enforcement ring in the neighbouring town of Camp Rapture, as well as an inhospitable bartender with an attitude.
The star of the novel is a 10-year old girl from the projects by the name of Reba, who Leonard calls the 400 year old midget vampire. She’s outspoken and highly mature for her years, but with excellent observational and manipulation skills…which she uses on our heroes to knive her way into free meals and other bonuses. And our heroes are push-overs, aren't they?
When the action starts, it’s good, but it takes a while to start. The banter, however, is as good as ever.
One niggle: it’s fine if you are the proud dad of a daughter who is a country music singer and you mention her once, but the way Joe Lansdale keeps mentioning Kasey Lansdale in lists of famous country music acts, along with having Leonard listening to a specific song of hers is way too blatant of advertising, IMHO. It sticks out like a sore thumb and doesn’t do much for the story.
February 20, 2017
I received this from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I think this was probably the best in this series so far. Joe Lansdale introduced a couple of new very interesting characters, including a "400-year old vampire" that is probably my new favorite character. There are some significant character developments, too, some of which are somewhat surprising.
This isn't a good place to start into this series, but it is well worth the effort to get to this twelfth book starring Hap and Leonard.
I think this was probably the best in this series so far. Joe Lansdale introduced a couple of new very interesting characters, including a "400-year old vampire" that is probably my new favorite character. There are some significant character developments, too, some of which are somewhat surprising.
This isn't a good place to start into this series, but it is well worth the effort to get to this twelfth book starring Hap and Leonard.
July 12, 2020
I've said it before and I will say it again; no one is able to rival Elmore Leonard's craft as close as Joe R. Lansdale. In fact, I'd say the two are neck and neck for the best dialogue and characterisation ever written in crime fiction. Yeah - I'm fanboying hard over this one.
Rusty Puppy pits the colourful duo up against corrupt cops, shady ambulance chasers, project drug dealers and common street thugs, and, to top it all off, a 400 year old vampire disguised as an 11 year old girl.
In true Hap and Leonard fashion, their prowess for detecting somehow leads them down a bumpy, bruising path and into a bush of brass knuckles and beat downs - the themes you'd expect to find are served up to perfection; comfort food akin to chicken noodle soup during flu season.
Much like other books in the series (this is the 10th instalment), Rusty Puppy reads well as a standalone but it all the more enjoyable for having read what came before. The events of Honky Tonk Samurai lead straight into this book which is great for continuity and add a whole layer of depth to what is already a pretty meaty story.
My rating: another 5/5 star read. Up next Jackrabbit Smile.
Rusty Puppy pits the colourful duo up against corrupt cops, shady ambulance chasers, project drug dealers and common street thugs, and, to top it all off, a 400 year old vampire disguised as an 11 year old girl.
In true Hap and Leonard fashion, their prowess for detecting somehow leads them down a bumpy, bruising path and into a bush of brass knuckles and beat downs - the themes you'd expect to find are served up to perfection; comfort food akin to chicken noodle soup during flu season.
Much like other books in the series (this is the 10th instalment), Rusty Puppy reads well as a standalone but it all the more enjoyable for having read what came before. The events of Honky Tonk Samurai lead straight into this book which is great for continuity and add a whole layer of depth to what is already a pretty meaty story.
My rating: another 5/5 star read. Up next Jackrabbit Smile.
March 7, 2020
Un omicidio a sfondo razziale che minaccia di far esplodere una cittadina dell'East Texas: il nuovo torbido caso per l'ormai leggendaria coppia di detective Hap e Leonard.
4 stelle ad Hap e Leonard, alle loro battute e alla loro amicizia; 2 stelle alla storia questa volta meno pirotecnica del solito, seppur sempre godibile.
A mio avviso un Joe R. Lansdale, alle soglie di una carriera trentennale, un po' sottotono in questo decimo romanzo hard-boiled dedicato alle storie di Hap & Leo, dal titolo originale intraducibile "Rusty Puppy" (cuccioli arrugginiti... bisognerebbe leggere il libro per capirlo) tradotto da Einaudi con un furbetto "Bastardi in salsa rossa" di tarantiniana memoria.
4 stelle ad Hap e Leonard, alle loro battute e alla loro amicizia; 2 stelle alla storia questa volta meno pirotecnica del solito, seppur sempre godibile.
A mio avviso un Joe R. Lansdale, alle soglie di una carriera trentennale, un po' sottotono in questo decimo romanzo hard-boiled dedicato alle storie di Hap & Leo, dal titolo originale intraducibile "Rusty Puppy" (cuccioli arrugginiti... bisognerebbe leggere il libro per capirlo) tradotto da Einaudi con un furbetto "Bastardi in salsa rossa" di tarantiniana memoria.
April 2, 2018
“None of your friends have reviewed this book yet.”
Così recita la pagina del libro.
Non so se qualcuno di loro l’abbia almeno letto. Spero di no.
Così recita la pagina del libro.
Non so se qualcuno di loro l’abbia almeno letto. Spero di no.
October 1, 2025
Another more than solid addition to the Hap & Leonard cannon, I'm pleased to say. It probably doesn't reach the heights of the previous novel, but it's a damn good time nonetheless, with it's share of classic banter, bizarre bad guys and Reba the 400 year old vampire, who might just be one of my favourite Lansdale characters yet! Never a dull moment with our two intrepid goofballs out there trying to save the day.
May 15, 2018
Two friends investigate a death.
The interaction between the main characters was laugh out loud funny in places, and the dialogue was razor sharp. Some of the social commentary was pretty moving and this was successfully interwoven with a reasonable story line. All of the characters were reasonably believable.
The interaction between the main characters was laugh out loud funny in places, and the dialogue was razor sharp. Some of the social commentary was pretty moving and this was successfully interwoven with a reasonable story line. All of the characters were reasonably believable.
June 16, 2017
2 long time buddies work as detectives. Funny, found myself smiling a lot. A little vulgar language, but not bad. I'm going back and reading the first of the series.
November 18, 2020
Bastardi in salsa rossa, Rusty Puppy in originale, titolo che mi piace molto di più e ha più senso con la storia, è il decimo libro con protagonisti Hap Collins e Leonard Pine, un sodalizio ormai trentennale.
Temporalmente ci troviamo subito dopo Honky Tonk Samurai e non ci sono salti particolari, anche se nelle uscite in lingua originale ci sono almeno cinque titoli (novellette o racconti) tra i due.
Pur ritrovando le ambientazioni e gli scambi che hanno reso Hap e Leonard due di famiglia, la storia in sé risulta poco originale e prevedibile fin dalle prime battute.
Hap è il solo dei due, come sempre del resto, che sembra risentire delle disavventure precedenti mentre Leonard risulta di frequente fastidiosamente sopra le righe e, come capita spesso nelle saghe così longeve, il passaggio del tempo sembra non influire sui protagonisti.
All'inizio della loro storia erano due quarantenni pronti a menare le mani ad ogni occasione e, mentre l'evoluzione tecnologica si è insinuata tra le pagine e i due sono invecchiati, continuano a menare le mani come due quarantenni... anche se dovrebbero essere ormai sulla soglia dei sessanta.
La cosa mi butta spesso fuori dalla storia e non mi fa godere delle prodezze dei due.
Fortunatamente, nonostante i lati negativi che vanno accumulandosi ad ogni nuova uscita, è sempre un piacere ritrovare i due e il resto della banda.
Temporalmente ci troviamo subito dopo Honky Tonk Samurai e non ci sono salti particolari, anche se nelle uscite in lingua originale ci sono almeno cinque titoli (novellette o racconti) tra i due.
Pur ritrovando le ambientazioni e gli scambi che hanno reso Hap e Leonard due di famiglia, la storia in sé risulta poco originale e prevedibile fin dalle prime battute.
Hap è il solo dei due, come sempre del resto, che sembra risentire delle disavventure precedenti mentre Leonard risulta di frequente fastidiosamente sopra le righe e, come capita spesso nelle saghe così longeve, il passaggio del tempo sembra non influire sui protagonisti.
All'inizio della loro storia erano due quarantenni pronti a menare le mani ad ogni occasione e, mentre l'evoluzione tecnologica si è insinuata tra le pagine e i due sono invecchiati, continuano a menare le mani come due quarantenni... anche se dovrebbero essere ormai sulla soglia dei sessanta.
La cosa mi butta spesso fuori dalla storia e non mi fa godere delle prodezze dei due.
Fortunatamente, nonostante i lati negativi che vanno accumulandosi ad ogni nuova uscita, è sempre un piacere ritrovare i due e il resto della banda.
March 16, 2017
As a work-at-home, stay-at-home dad, my reading time is precious to me, not to mention extremely limited. That said, I always make time for Joe R. Lansdale, who is easily my favorite author. While not a fan of series books, I've been reading his Hap & Leonard stories going on 20 years. The good news is Rusty Puppy is pure Lansdale, and a fine addition to the H&L series. If you love the characters, and love the series, you've probably already read this. Given the previous book - Honky Tonk Samurai - ended on a bit of a cliffhanger it was nice to have a resolution. Lansdale's supporting cast is colorful as always, from slow-witted hit-men to corrupt cops, to a possible "vengeance-fueled vampire midget". Lansdale largely sidelines his day-players for a change; this is mostly a Hap and Leonard show and the book benefits from keeping the two center stage.Were this any other book it'd be a four. But this is Lansdale, which brings me to ...
The bad news ... well, it really isn't bad news. The H&L novels are each different in some way; there's enough "new" in each to give you a different experience. Rusty Puppy, while fitting into this series like a fist into a tight leather glove, felt a little too much like a pause in momentum. It's brief, for one; my free time is at a premium these days and I finished it in less than a week, but at times it felt like a novella that had been stretched out to novel-length. It also felt familiar; like we were retreading ground we've visited time and again, in the H&L series and other Lansdale's (I'm pretty sure a pivotal location appeared in The Bottoms).
I realize much of my criticism is stoked by the fact the previous installment - Honky Tonk Samurai - was so strong and easily the best H&L book since Captains Outrageous in 2001. But HTS contained many twists and turns and surprise reveals, this straight-forward mystery felt a little too straight-forward. Still, Lansdale is better than he ever has been (seriously, read Paradise Sky and The Thicket if you doubt me), and a solid if unremarkable H&L is still H&L.
Is Rusty Puppy recommended? Hell yes; any Lansdale is worth your time. But if you're looking for a good intro to his writing and the H&L series, I still think Mucho Mojo (the first H&L I ever read) remains the best way in.
The bad news ... well, it really isn't bad news. The H&L novels are each different in some way; there's enough "new" in each to give you a different experience. Rusty Puppy, while fitting into this series like a fist into a tight leather glove, felt a little too much like a pause in momentum. It's brief, for one; my free time is at a premium these days and I finished it in less than a week, but at times it felt like a novella that had been stretched out to novel-length. It also felt familiar; like we were retreading ground we've visited time and again, in the H&L series and other Lansdale's (I'm pretty sure a pivotal location appeared in The Bottoms).
I realize much of my criticism is stoked by the fact the previous installment - Honky Tonk Samurai - was so strong and easily the best H&L book since Captains Outrageous in 2001. But HTS contained many twists and turns and surprise reveals, this straight-forward mystery felt a little too straight-forward. Still, Lansdale is better than he ever has been (seriously, read Paradise Sky and The Thicket if you doubt me), and a solid if unremarkable H&L is still H&L.
Is Rusty Puppy recommended? Hell yes; any Lansdale is worth your time. But if you're looking for a good intro to his writing and the H&L series, I still think Mucho Mojo (the first H&L I ever read) remains the best way in.
April 24, 2019
Tutta colpa della Fornero
Hap & Leonard, ancora una volta.
Da pensionare, ormai. Purtroppo, causa interventi governativi non propriamente mirati, sono costretti a continuare a tormentare il povero zio Joe R. Lansdale, obbligandolo a mettere su carta l'ennesima avventura.
Qualche pregio c'è (lettura al solito scorrevolissima, qualche battuta al vetriolo di Leonard, la volontà di mettere in primo piano le parti disagiate della società USA), ma non è abbastanza. Joe, quanti anni sono che non mi regali una buona lettura? Quanta tristezza, quando non si capisce che è giunto il momento - se non di smettere - quanto meno di cambiare [ciò mi ricorda il "primo ultimo tour" di pensionamento di Ozzy - erano appena iniziati gli anni '90, ed è ancora in giro. Credo.]
Vanilla Cookies Eaters & Hellraisers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BLtc...
Hap & Leonard, ancora una volta.
Da pensionare, ormai. Purtroppo, causa interventi governativi non propriamente mirati, sono costretti a continuare a tormentare il povero zio Joe R. Lansdale, obbligandolo a mettere su carta l'ennesima avventura.
Qualche pregio c'è (lettura al solito scorrevolissima, qualche battuta al vetriolo di Leonard, la volontà di mettere in primo piano le parti disagiate della società USA), ma non è abbastanza. Joe, quanti anni sono che non mi regali una buona lettura? Quanta tristezza, quando non si capisce che è giunto il momento - se non di smettere - quanto meno di cambiare [ciò mi ricorda il "primo ultimo tour" di pensionamento di Ozzy - erano appena iniziati gli anni '90, ed è ancora in giro. Credo.]
Vanilla Cookies Eaters & Hellraisers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BLtc...
April 12, 2022
While this Hap & Leonard tale maintains the series norm of being another thought provoking social commentary, written with Joe's unique southern dialogue, ripe with his special style of humor, I must say it fell a little short in both. Now understand that I am comparing "Rusty Puppy" to others in what I consider one of the premier series in down to earth, rip roaring, common man epics.
Short on the humor that usually has me in tears and near breathless, it still has more sharp witted cutting funnies than ninety percent of books purely devoted to such.
Noticeable was a tamer less violent plot. I hope this is not a trend.
Finally, as we have come to expect, it contains a well developed plot with a motley group of characters.
Nobody compares with the true Mojo storyteller Joe Lansdale. May Hap and Leonard ride on and on and on. Already craving the next!
Short on the humor that usually has me in tears and near breathless, it still has more sharp witted cutting funnies than ninety percent of books purely devoted to such.
Noticeable was a tamer less violent plot. I hope this is not a trend.
Finally, as we have come to expect, it contains a well developed plot with a motley group of characters.
Nobody compares with the true Mojo storyteller Joe Lansdale. May Hap and Leonard ride on and on and on. Already craving the next!
October 10, 2019
Hap e Leonard attirano i guai. Sì ritrovano invischiati in un caso di omicidio in cui potrebbe essere coinvolta la polizia. Libro molto attuale perché parla dell'America reale: la provincia americana dove le tensioni razziali sono ancora molto forti in cui il sogno americano è solo un sogno.
June 10, 2017
This was a really fun and exciting volume in the adventures of Hap and Leonard. It just moves along SO quickly, and I was laughing all the way!
October 3, 2025
10th in the series and it never gets stale or old. Infuckingcredible stuff.
January 21, 2019
Another peppy Hap & Leonard story. This one suffers slightly from having everything happen within a 20 minute drive of their home. We've established that these two are shit magnets, but this was stretching it a bit. I like the way the series has moved in more of a detective direction rather than just having our boys falling ass-backwards into trouble, freelance.
As long as these books keep making me giggle, I will keep reading them.
As long as these books keep making me giggle, I will keep reading them.
Read
October 14, 2017Char wrote a perfect review of this title!
October 29, 2021
Reading Joe Lansdale is very addictive! Especially the Hap and Leonard books. This is the 10th book in the series (not counting the shorter novellas and stories) and as usual, it kept me turning the pages. I basically read this one in two sittings.
Hap and Leonard are hired by a black woman who lives across from their PI office to look into the death of her son. The boy was supposedly murdered by the police in the neighboring town of Camp Rapture where the police are all apparently dirty. The boy's sister was arrested by the police there for DUI but she had not been drinking. Nevertheless she was hauled into the station and handcuffed to a radiator with her pants pulled halfway down. The case leads Hap and Leonard to the projects in Camp Rapture where the boy was supposed to have been killed. There they meet a group of memorable characters including a young girl named Reba who is able to keep up with Leonard's line of bullshit and who Leonard ends up calling the "400-year-old vampire." But what else is going on in Camp Rapture? The pair find out that an old abandoned saw mill on the outskirts of town is where bad things happen. The mill includes a pond where bodies of dogs and possibly humans are dumped and because of its toxicity, the dogs that surface look like "rusty puppies."
As usual, this one was filled with the quota of off-color humor and loads of violence. And Leonard seems to have found a new love interest, a cop named Officer Carroll who he calls Pookie. Hap's girlfriend Brett and his newfound daughter, Chance, both have the flu throughout this novel so didn't play a very big role in it but since Brett is now the owner of the PI agency, I'm sure we'll be seeing more of her in the future. Lansdale also plugs his daughter, Kasey Lansdale, who is a country singer/songwriter a couple of times in the novel. I'll have to check her music out. But, I'm sorry to say, I'm getting very close to finishing all of the Hap and Leonard novels...only two left to go. Jackrabbit Smile is up next and I am looking forward to it!
Hap and Leonard are hired by a black woman who lives across from their PI office to look into the death of her son. The boy was supposedly murdered by the police in the neighboring town of Camp Rapture where the police are all apparently dirty. The boy's sister was arrested by the police there for DUI but she had not been drinking. Nevertheless she was hauled into the station and handcuffed to a radiator with her pants pulled halfway down. The case leads Hap and Leonard to the projects in Camp Rapture where the boy was supposed to have been killed. There they meet a group of memorable characters including a young girl named Reba who is able to keep up with Leonard's line of bullshit and who Leonard ends up calling the "400-year-old vampire." But what else is going on in Camp Rapture? The pair find out that an old abandoned saw mill on the outskirts of town is where bad things happen. The mill includes a pond where bodies of dogs and possibly humans are dumped and because of its toxicity, the dogs that surface look like "rusty puppies."
As usual, this one was filled with the quota of off-color humor and loads of violence. And Leonard seems to have found a new love interest, a cop named Officer Carroll who he calls Pookie. Hap's girlfriend Brett and his newfound daughter, Chance, both have the flu throughout this novel so didn't play a very big role in it but since Brett is now the owner of the PI agency, I'm sure we'll be seeing more of her in the future. Lansdale also plugs his daughter, Kasey Lansdale, who is a country singer/songwriter a couple of times in the novel. I'll have to check her music out. But, I'm sorry to say, I'm getting very close to finishing all of the Hap and Leonard novels...only two left to go. Jackrabbit Smile is up next and I am looking forward to it!
March 15, 2017
Rusty Puppy is another solid, satisfying entry into Lansdale's long-running Hap & Leonard series. I've been reading Lansdale for over 25 years, and read my first Hap & Leonard novel, Mucho Mojo, the week it was released in 1994. With Mucho Mojo, I guess you could say I became a lifelong fan of Lansdale and have probably read about 95% of his writing - he's very prolific. Each volume in the series is a guaranteed good read. Lansdale is a master storyteller to say the least, with pacing so expert it will knock your socks off, laugh out loud hilarious dialogue, characters you truly care about (love 'em or hate 'em), and plot points/scenes that can range anywhere from moving to utterly outlandish. If you are new to the series, I recommend you start back at the beginning, with Savage Season and/or Mucho Mojo. If you are a Lansdale veteran, this latest installment is like revisiting old friends. Rusty Puppy delivers the goods.
June 4, 2018
c'era un tempo in cui le avventure di hap&leonard e i loro dialoghi mi entusiasmavano. adesso invece mi sembra che vogliano fare i brillantoni per forza e non mi fanno nemmeno sorridere. sono cambiati loro o sono cambiata io? ah, saperlo.
August 21, 2018
Nelle mie ultime 5-6 recensioni dei libri della saga di Hap & Leonard temo di avere ripetuto sempre lo stesso concetto... Ormai le novità sono ben poche, le storie sono prevedibili, eppure permane quella sensazione di familiarità che mi fa sentire "a casa" quando apro un nuovo romanzo della serie.
Ogni tanto c'è qualche guizzo creativo (in questo "Bastardi in salsa rossa" i dialoghi sono assai divertenti se vi piace lo stile di Lansdale), ma ad essere sincero continuo a comprare questi libri più per abitudine che per soddisfare aspettative ormai sopite.
Ogni tanto c'è qualche guizzo creativo (in questo "Bastardi in salsa rossa" i dialoghi sono assai divertenti se vi piace lo stile di Lansdale), ma ad essere sincero continuo a comprare questi libri più per abitudine che per soddisfare aspettative ormai sopite.
September 5, 2017
“Rusty Puppy” by Joe Lansdale features out two favorite malcontents Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. Be advised that Hap and Leonard are, as always, rude, crude, and very funny. If you are not prepared for “colorful” language and politically incorrect scenarios, do not read this book.
“Rusty Puppy” is about East Texas, and the good, the bad, and the in between who live there. They are plagued by murder, police corruption, blackmail, conspiracies, dog fighting, and assorted other crimes, as Hap describes them, “An East Texas classic. Killed and thrown in a ditch.” However, the book is really just Hap and Leonard being themselves.
Hap’s narrative of the day-to-day life drives the story. Hap and Leonard work as detectives. “Think I may have tripped over a clue” Leonard said. “”Sounds to me like you are doing some actual detective-type thinking.” Hap replies.
Their pay for jobs is on a “sliding” scale. “Mama said she didn’t have any real money to pay you. Will that make a difference in how much you do?” “No,” Leonard said. “Hap here is privately rich and supports me. When this is over we’re opening a coffee bar in Tibet.”
As they endeavor to solve the murders, their fellow East Texans are really not much help. “Any idea who killed Timson, and why?” Hap asked. “I ain’t got no idea,” she said. “He might have got hit crossing the road, for all I know. Somedays I’d have run over him.”
Lansdale’ strength is in his use of words not only in the realistic conversations but also in the vivid descriptions of Texas itself. “To stand beneath (the oak) when it rained was amazing, because the limbs were so thick and the leaves so plush … you would hardly get wet.”
Joe Lansdale is the definitive storyteller. If you want to laugh along with Hap and Leonard, then this book is for you. This is not my first Hap and Leonard book, and I enjoy them all. They are unlike any other books I have read. I both laughed, and cringed all the way through.
“Rusty Puppy” is about East Texas, and the good, the bad, and the in between who live there. They are plagued by murder, police corruption, blackmail, conspiracies, dog fighting, and assorted other crimes, as Hap describes them, “An East Texas classic. Killed and thrown in a ditch.” However, the book is really just Hap and Leonard being themselves.
Hap’s narrative of the day-to-day life drives the story. Hap and Leonard work as detectives. “Think I may have tripped over a clue” Leonard said. “”Sounds to me like you are doing some actual detective-type thinking.” Hap replies.
Their pay for jobs is on a “sliding” scale. “Mama said she didn’t have any real money to pay you. Will that make a difference in how much you do?” “No,” Leonard said. “Hap here is privately rich and supports me. When this is over we’re opening a coffee bar in Tibet.”
As they endeavor to solve the murders, their fellow East Texans are really not much help. “Any idea who killed Timson, and why?” Hap asked. “I ain’t got no idea,” she said. “He might have got hit crossing the road, for all I know. Somedays I’d have run over him.”
Lansdale’ strength is in his use of words not only in the realistic conversations but also in the vivid descriptions of Texas itself. “To stand beneath (the oak) when it rained was amazing, because the limbs were so thick and the leaves so plush … you would hardly get wet.”
Joe Lansdale is the definitive storyteller. If you want to laugh along with Hap and Leonard, then this book is for you. This is not my first Hap and Leonard book, and I enjoy them all. They are unlike any other books I have read. I both laughed, and cringed all the way through.
July 30, 2018
Not a genre I read much. I liked the smartass main characters and found myself laughing out loud at them sometimes, but too violent for my everyday.
August 13, 2017
Rusty Puppy is the twelfth instalment of the Hap and Leonard series set in East Texas. In this outing they investigate the death of a young black man and tussle with a set of rogue cops who like to run both the law and crime. As usual, the pleasure of the read is the camaraderie and banter between two tough guys - Hap, a poor white man and his best friend, Leonard, a black, gay man with a trigger temper - who fight the battles of people who’ve been wronged; the larger-than-life characterisation in general (in this case, Reba – the four hundred year old vampire midget locked in the body of a child is a wonderful creation); and Lansdale’s voice and sparkling dialogue. As with each tale, Hap and Leonard trade insults and blows with their adversaries, as well as anyone else who finds themselves in the way, eventually reaching a bloody and hard-won, though rarely neat, resolution. In this sense, Rusty Puppy has all the usual Lansdale ingredients. However, the mystery in this outing is very straightforward and the conspiracy at the heart of the tale is so wide-open, involving dozens of people, one wonders why it wasn’t common knowledge beyond the local community and already being tackled by the media and wider law-enforcement. And there’s an inevitability about the denouement. Nonetheless, it’s still a fun read that rattles along to entertaining effect with all the usual Hap and Leonard wit and scraps.
September 2, 2019
I agree with Jojo on this one. A pretty solid piece of storytelling, but definitely a branch book, tying together H & L with Chance and probably Brett in more detail. Also, the addition of Pookie and Reba may lead to some very interesting storytelling and creation. Whatever the case, Lansdale is a master at the story and this brand of mystery/detective novels is something special. I fancy myself and Jojo as a very lesser version of H & L, so when he (Jojo) says he wished they (H & L) were real people, well, my friend, my brother, we're as close as it gets, without being violent, and detectives.
April 30, 2019
Loved it. Hap, recovering from double dying due to a stab in the stomach, and Leonard investigate the murder of a young black man at the hands of criminal cops from Camp Rapture. Along the way they cross paths with an illegal fight club, drug dealers and a foul mouthed little girl that Leonard refers to as the "100 year old midget vampire." Highly recommended.
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