Leadfoot

A Rumrunners Novel #2

by Eric Beetner

It’s 1971, and outlaw driver Calvin McGraw is grooming his 19-year-old son Webb to uphold the family name. Drugs, money, people—the McGraws drive anything and everything.

When a delivery goes wrong, Calvin steps knee-deep in a turf war between his employer, the Stanleys, and a rival Midwestern crime syndicate, but his week gets a whole lot worse when Webb—on his first solo job—loses the cargo.

Praise for

“With Leadfoot , Beetner proves he is the one true master of the modern pulp novel.” —Crimespree Magazine

“Beetner populates Leadfoot with characters as rich and lively as any Elmore Leonard novel, and when Beetner punches the gas, you can almost see the McGraw’s middle fingers flying as they invite us all along for the ride.” —Brian Panowich, author of Bull Mountain

“A hell of a fun book. Crazy families, fast cars, a classic crime—it’s just an all-around good time. Fast, funny and thrilling on a classic level.” —Steph Post, author of A Tree Born Crooked and Lightwood

Praise for Eric

“To be blunt, he’s the 21st century’s answer to Jim Thompson.” —LitReactor

“Eric Beetner seems to have a formula that he has used for every book he has Fun plot + believable characters + witty dialogue + breakneck pace = novel that knocks your socks off.” —Regular Guy Reading Noir

“Beetner has a keen eye on how to plot a book that never allows the reader a chance to catch their breath.” —Out of the Gutter

Genres: Crime

258 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2017

About the author

BIO:
Eric Beetner has been hailed as “the new maestro of noir,” by Ken Bruen and “The 21st Century’s answer to Jim Thompson” by LitReactor.
He has written more than 2 dozen novels and his short stories has been featured in over 30 anthologies and along the way he’s been nominated for an ITW award, a Shamus, Derringer and three Anthony awards. He’s won none of them.
Novels include There and Back, All The Way Down, Two In The Head, Rumrunners, The Devil Doesn't Want Me and many more.
For more visit ericbeetner.com

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his latest offering, Leadfoot (280 Steps, 2016), author Eric Beetner colors in the backstory of the McGraw clan in this prequel to Rumrunners (2015). Like Rumrunners, Beetner channels the muscle car movies of the late 60s and early 70s in a pared-down, highly entertaining page turner. In fact, the book’s lead characters conjure images of famed actors of the period who would easily fit the bill of Calvin and Webb: Paul Newman or Peter Fonda, and a young Jeff Bridges or perhaps Jan-Michael Vincent.

There can be no real question that from a historical perspective the automobile culture is uniquely American. And in movies and books, the theme of car as microcosm of an ordered and controlled world is also undeniably American. Notably, Beetner makes full use of the theme without beating the reader over the head with it. The truth of this notion sinks in—to devastating effect—for Webb late in the story, as he escapes from encroaching violent circumstances upon leaving his vehicle and venturing out into the world beyond: “Gravel spit from under the tires as Webb tore the Eliminator out of the lot. His dad was right: being behind the wheel set everything right. He had control again. He felt at home.”

At the same time, Calvin, Webb’s father, also finds himself in the chaotic clutches of the outside world and longing for the sense of control afforded by being behind the wheel, which for him is tantamount to a kind of existential freedom: “Calvin wished they were on open highway, wind through the windows, horizon fading away to nothing. His feet never felt so cemented to one place before in his life. Trapped by circumstance and nothing to do but stay and fight it out."

Don’t get me wrong—the novel is not bogged down by philosophical meanderings. Not at all. There is plenty of action to keep one turning pages late into the night. And in fact, that is the real attraction here. There is action and a solid plot. This is a story of families—fathers, sons, husbands, wives, brothers—and ultimately, the betrayal of these on a number of different levels. To say that Leadfoot is Shakespearean in its sense of tragedy and betrayal is overstating it—but there are certainly dramatic elements that bring the works of Bill Shakespeare to mind.

Neither is the novel bogged down by overly pretty prose. On the contrary, it’s pared down and muscley, at times. If Hemingway had moved to Des Moines instead of Paris, he might’ve written Leadfoot and Rumrunners, or at least something like them. There is some fine descriptive writing in the novel as well. Take this marvelously taut description of an Iowa rural scene-scape.

The sun had gone down ahead of him as he drove and the stars came out on a moonless night. The highway was Iowa straight, traffic around him light. He looked out over the fields on either side of him and watched the fireflies blink in the darkness trying to find each other. Grain towers stood lit from underneath, Iowa’s version of those redwood trees out on the Coast.

All in all, this is a nicely balanced book—plot, pacing, prose, and themes. Beetner clearly has full control of his craft—and it shows. Not unlike Calvin McGraw behind the wheel of his favorite muscle car. He feels at home there, knows every sound and movement as if it were an extension of his own self. And that’s the kind of writing every author aspires to. And the kind of writing every reader enjoys. A highly recommended book. 4.5 stars.

[Steph Post · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric Beetner is a master storyteller with a style reminiscent of pulp-noir, but also distinctly is own. Leadfoot brings back Calvin McGraw, one of my new favorite fiction characters, and delivers another fast-paced thrill ride in the same vein as Rumrunners. Eric Beetner needs to keep the stories coming, because I'm ready for more!

[Chris Rhatigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last book I read was slow so I needed a palette cleanser. Enter Eric Beetner with Leadfoot, a follow-up to Rumrunners. This is fast-paced, nonstop action that never takes its foot off the gas (or insert other speeding car cliche). Beetner is a throwback--a modern-day pulp writer who publishes more goodness than his readers can keep up with.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Rory Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember those movies from the '70s like The Seven-Ups, Race with the Devil, and Vanishing Point? The kind with terrific muscle-car chase scenes? Eric Beetner brings them back with Leadfoot, his prequel to the highly enjoyable Rumrunners. I liked the first outing a little better because it was more fun to see Calvin McGraw as a cantankerous 86-year-old who still craved action. But seeing him and son Webb, with their back story, is still a blast. Plus, Beetner is one of the best in the business at presenting action. In addition to car chases, he has a real knack with fights, especially the way he brings improvised weapons into play. What's more, he's also very good with character.

[Jim Thomsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We're not criminals, we're outlaws." That's more a statement of principle than a statement of boundaries for Calvin McGraw, who wants and needs to believe he's "just" a driver for an Iowa crime family — but is less than surprised when acts associated with driving for criminals leads to an ever-rising body count, some of which he's responsible for. It's 1971, and Calvin's considering going into a more legal line of work when he gets caught in the middle of a cornfield turf battle between his employers, the Stanleys, and a Nebraska family outfit looking to engineer a hostile takeover. Meanwhile, Webb, his talented but inexperienced son, gets his first solo assignment for the Stanleys—picking up a young woman and returning her to crime patriarch Hugh Stanley by any means necessary. One guess as to how smoothly that goes.

LEADFOOT, a prequel to 2015's RUMRUNNERS, is a cinematic homage of sorts to its time, and to the cinema of its time. It's a happy mashup of TWO-LANE BLACKTOP and DIRTY MARY & CRAZY LARRY and THE GETAWAY and, in the end, THE WILD BUNCH. The story is heavy on the gas, yet, like a great driver, knows how to strategically work the brakes. And the steering always stays on the road — OK, or at least out of the ditch.

It's classic Eric Beetner — fun, fast, brutal, dark, but with a heart and a code. Strap me in for a third sprint over the dusty back roads of the badass Midwest.

[G.D. Bowlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up after reading the first McGraw crime novel, Rumrunners. I was ecstatic to hear that Down & Out books had picked Rumrunners up for reissue and even happier to know that Beetner would be writing a new entry. Leadfoot is a prequel, depicting Webb McGraw's coming of age into the family business: driving down the backroads, smuggling drugs, guns, or people. Webb learns the hard part about not asking questions while his father, Calvin, faces off against an entire criminal army. In the end, their stories will come together and the McGraw boys join forces in an awesome display of revenge and violence.

Like Rumrunners, Leadfoot is a tremendously good time and a great new building block in what will hopefully be an ongoing series.

[Kris Calvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovable book...
A story where the hero and his son drive for a mob family in Iowa (one that clears about as much money annually as a small chain of pizza joints) doesn't sound like it could give the Godfather series competition. But with Eric Beetner's powerful writing, ability to create both male and female characters that feel like old friends (or enemies), and plot twists that no way will you see coming, I felt like he was channeling Mario Puzo, if Puzo dug fast cars and strong noir undertones. A lovable book where you can't help but root for the bad guys (who are really the good guys) battling the badder guys! Can't wait for the next one!!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non-stop, pedal to the floor action spread across the rolling hills of Iowa (with brief but just as eventful jaunts into neighboring Missouri and Nebraska). The McGraws are the real wheel-winding, crime-causing and -solving deal. You'll like this. Trust me.

[D.S. Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first book, but the character's decisions at the end don't make much sense.

[Michelle Isler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, here you go! Calvin McGraw is the the man. Now, he has Webb, his son, working the jobs. "Webb knew what his father did. He drove for the Stanleys, a family who would call themselves a criminal empire, but even a nineteen-year old nobody could build an empire in Iowa."
Once again, Eric Beetner has taken us into the backwoods family of the McGraws and shown us how family means more than just being blood relatives. It means commitment and loyalty. Beetner gives us characters that we can bond with and we can relate to.
There is no shortage of violence and humor. Beetner's books are always packed with quick dialogue and three dimensional characters.
I felt like I was there fighting the McGraw battles and trying to keep up with the pace. Never a dull moment!
But, I would never expect less than perfection from a Beetner crime novel. He has what you are looking for in a fast paced crime novel, sparked with humor, and violence.
Leadfoot was pure entertainment! I highly recommend all of Eric Beetner's books. You can never get enough.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While all THIS gasoline and rubber is spent on the Midwestern highways and byways, Beetner continues to pack each page with real heart and emotion. With LEADFOOT, Eric Beetner once again proved they he is the one true master of the modern pulp novel.

[Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to be back with the McGraw's and getting some of their backstory. There's plenty of action and drama and it's coated in all the oil and loose gravel you'd hope for. A very enjoyable read and hopefully there are more Rumrunners stories to come.

[Dwayne McIntosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A prequel to Rumrunners, and is just as good. With Beetner behind the wheel this book moves just as fast Rumrunners, and is just as entertaining.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner!

Eric Beetner is just the best! This follow-up to Rumrunners is just as good as it's predecessor, and maybe even better. I hope this isn't the last of the Rumrunner books, because I LOVE this series and everything I've read by Eric Beetner. The man can write !