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Hap and Leonard
Born for Trouble: The Further Adventures of Hap and Leonard
In Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale's newest Hap and Leonard story collection, the boys are back, with more righteous ass-kickings, highly improbable adventures, and disastrous fishing trips. These never before collected tales showcase the popular not-so dynamic duo who are little bit older, but not a whole lot wiser--Hap and Leonard were truly born for trouble.
"A folklorist's eye for telling detail and a front-porch raconteur's sense of pace."--New York Times Book Review
When you meet him, Hap Collins seems just like a good ol' boy. But even in his misspent youth, his best pal was Leonard Pine: black, gay, and the ultimate outsider. Together, they have sort of found their way as partners in crime-solving--and at least as often, as hired muscle.
As Hap wrestles with his new identity as a husband and father, and Leonard finds love in a long-term relationship, the boys continue their crime-solving shenanigans. They grapple with a stolen stuffed dog, uncover the sordid secret of a missing bookmobile, compete in a warped version of the Most Dangerous Game, regroup after Hap's visit to the psychologist goes terribly awry, and much more.
So sit yourself back and settle in--Born for the Trouble is East Texas mayhem as only the master mojo storyteller Lansdale could possibly tell.
About the Hap and Leonard short story series
Hap and Leonard
Hap and Leonard: Blood and Lemonade
The Big Book of Hap and Leonard (digital only)
Of Mice and Minestrone
The classic Hap Collins and Leonard Pine mystery series began in in 1990 with Savage Season. Hap and Leonard made their screen debuts in the three season Hap and Leonard TV series, starring Michael K. Williams (The Wire), James Purefoy (The Following), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men).
"A folklorist's eye for telling detail and a front-porch raconteur's sense of pace."--New York Times Book Review
When you meet him, Hap Collins seems just like a good ol' boy. But even in his misspent youth, his best pal was Leonard Pine: black, gay, and the ultimate outsider. Together, they have sort of found their way as partners in crime-solving--and at least as often, as hired muscle.
As Hap wrestles with his new identity as a husband and father, and Leonard finds love in a long-term relationship, the boys continue their crime-solving shenanigans. They grapple with a stolen stuffed dog, uncover the sordid secret of a missing bookmobile, compete in a warped version of the Most Dangerous Game, regroup after Hap's visit to the psychologist goes terribly awry, and much more.
So sit yourself back and settle in--Born for the Trouble is East Texas mayhem as only the master mojo storyteller Lansdale could possibly tell.
About the Hap and Leonard short story series
Hap and Leonard
Hap and Leonard: Blood and Lemonade
The Big Book of Hap and Leonard (digital only)
Of Mice and Minestrone
The classic Hap Collins and Leonard Pine mystery series began in in 1990 with Savage Season. Hap and Leonard made their screen debuts in the three season Hap and Leonard TV series, starring Michael K. Williams (The Wire), James Purefoy (The Following), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men).
310 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2022
49 people are currently reading
2009 people want to read
About the author
Joe R. Lansdale
818 books3,891 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 70 reviews
March 19, 2022
As the title indicates, BORN FOR TROUBLE is a collection of stories about Hap and Leonard-two of my favorite people in all of literature. It's Lansdale. It's Hap and Leonard. It's a winner right out of the gate!
I've read a few of these stories elsewhere, but I didn't mind reading them again. COCO BUTTERNUT is one of the funniest stories I've ever read and to be honest? Revisiting this tale was pure delight. Everything I love about this duo is here. Their humor, their love for each other, Hap's love for Brett and Leonard's love of poking Hap by calling Coco Butternut, (a dog, by the way), everything BUT Coco Butternut, left me feeling like I had come home again.
SAD ONIONS and THE BRIAR PATCH BOOGIE were, once again, delightful. HOODOO HARRY is one of my favorite Lansdale stories and it was a pleasure to revisit it. A bookmobile plays a large part in this tale and those have a special place in my heart. (As a lover of libraries, growing up where there weren't many close by, the bookmobile inspired a love of reading in my heart, and delivered books almost right to my door.)
COLD COTTON -this was a new story to me, and it had everything. A mystery to figure out, interesting, vivid characters, and of course, Joe Lansdale's down-to-earth sense of humor that gets me every time.
There is nothing pretentious, nothing noble here, only fabulous story-telling. It seems obvious to me that the author loves these characters, and he says as much in the introduction. I didn't need to read that to know it, because it shows in nearly every word written in this volume.
Many of you may know that Hap and Leonard had their own TV show for a while. I watched and loved it, but unfortunately it got canceled. (I can't for the life of me figure out why.) Both the main actors were cultural icons, but Michael K. Williams will forever be Leonard in my mind. Michael recently passed on, but there is a lovely dedication to him at the beginning of this book that brought a tear to my eye. Whenever I read about Leonard now, I see Michael K. Williams' face and I hear his voice in my head. NO ONE could have done a better job in that role.
To recap: Hap and Leonard. Joe Lansdale's trademark sense of humor. (If it's not trademarked, it should be.) Interesting mysteries and vivid characters. Masterful story-telling. All of which add up to this: Joe Lansdale is a national treasure. He never fails to make me laugh or to keep me interested, even if I've read the story before. I don't care which genre he's writing in, if it's Lansdale, I'll read it. You should too!
Highly recommended!
*Thank you to Tachyon Publications, NetGalley and Kasey Landale for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
I've read a few of these stories elsewhere, but I didn't mind reading them again. COCO BUTTERNUT is one of the funniest stories I've ever read and to be honest? Revisiting this tale was pure delight. Everything I love about this duo is here. Their humor, their love for each other, Hap's love for Brett and Leonard's love of poking Hap by calling Coco Butternut, (a dog, by the way), everything BUT Coco Butternut, left me feeling like I had come home again.
SAD ONIONS and THE BRIAR PATCH BOOGIE were, once again, delightful. HOODOO HARRY is one of my favorite Lansdale stories and it was a pleasure to revisit it. A bookmobile plays a large part in this tale and those have a special place in my heart. (As a lover of libraries, growing up where there weren't many close by, the bookmobile inspired a love of reading in my heart, and delivered books almost right to my door.)
COLD COTTON -this was a new story to me, and it had everything. A mystery to figure out, interesting, vivid characters, and of course, Joe Lansdale's down-to-earth sense of humor that gets me every time.
There is nothing pretentious, nothing noble here, only fabulous story-telling. It seems obvious to me that the author loves these characters, and he says as much in the introduction. I didn't need to read that to know it, because it shows in nearly every word written in this volume.
Many of you may know that Hap and Leonard had their own TV show for a while. I watched and loved it, but unfortunately it got canceled. (I can't for the life of me figure out why.) Both the main actors were cultural icons, but Michael K. Williams will forever be Leonard in my mind. Michael recently passed on, but there is a lovely dedication to him at the beginning of this book that brought a tear to my eye. Whenever I read about Leonard now, I see Michael K. Williams' face and I hear his voice in my head. NO ONE could have done a better job in that role.
To recap: Hap and Leonard. Joe Lansdale's trademark sense of humor. (If it's not trademarked, it should be.) Interesting mysteries and vivid characters. Masterful story-telling. All of which add up to this: Joe Lansdale is a national treasure. He never fails to make me laugh or to keep me interested, even if I've read the story before. I don't care which genre he's writing in, if it's Lansdale, I'll read it. You should too!
Highly recommended!
*Thank you to Tachyon Publications, NetGalley and Kasey Landale for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
January 9, 2022
I’m going to start this review with a short digression. Somewhere near the turn of this new century I walked into my local Half Price Books with a gift card burning a hole in my pocket. I had a plan—rather than choosing back catalog books from one or more of my go-to authors, I would expand my horizons with someone new to me.
I walked out of the store that day with four books. Strega and Blue Belle by Andrew Vachss, and Mucho Mojo and Bad Chili by Joe R. Lansdale. To say these books were revelations to me would not be overstating it. With Vachss’ Burke, I got hard-nosed noir as black as a moonless night, unflinching in their depiction of the horrors people are capable of, particularly against children. With Lansdale’s Hap and Leonard, I was introduced to pure, unfiltered mojo storytelling. From that day on I would seek out and read every book by them I could get my hands on. When I found out later that the two men were friends, I wasn’t surprised. Both men were uncompromising and unapologetic in their approach to writing and life. Sadly, Vachss passed away not long ago, which I found out in a post from Lansdale. The world of crime fiction has lost a giant.
Now back to our regularly scheduled review! Born for Trouble is a new collection of Hap and Leonard stories, which is always cause for celebration. Unlike the past couple of collections, which focused on the boy’s early years, the stories in Born for Trouble cover Hap and Leonard in their later, more mature years. Don’t panic, mature refers only to their age. They are still, for the most part, the same shit-talking, shit-kicking badasses you know and love. Hap may be coming to terms with married life and fatherhood, and he’s a little less quick to pull the trigger, but he’s still tough as nails. And Leonard is still Leonard, just as volatile, just as willing to fuck shit up.
As far as the stories go, this is a book of crime fiction, and there are few better than Lansdale. In several of them, Hap and Leonard are working as private investigators, with Hap’s wife Brett. His adult daughter Chance is along for the ride as well. They are often working with, and sparring with, their friend Marvin Hanson, the police chief of LaBorde, Texas. There are murders aplenty here, colorfully corrupt characters, and the sort of wall to wall mayhem and adventures Hap and Leonard always seem to fall into.
I had read several of these stories before as Kindle singles, and I didn’t mind rereading them a bit. Lansdale is a master storyteller. Settling down with this collection is like getting together with old, cherished friends—the kind of friends who you just know are going to get you in trouble, and you just don’t care.
Born for Trouble will be released March 21, 2022. This one’s a must-have.
I walked out of the store that day with four books. Strega and Blue Belle by Andrew Vachss, and Mucho Mojo and Bad Chili by Joe R. Lansdale. To say these books were revelations to me would not be overstating it. With Vachss’ Burke, I got hard-nosed noir as black as a moonless night, unflinching in their depiction of the horrors people are capable of, particularly against children. With Lansdale’s Hap and Leonard, I was introduced to pure, unfiltered mojo storytelling. From that day on I would seek out and read every book by them I could get my hands on. When I found out later that the two men were friends, I wasn’t surprised. Both men were uncompromising and unapologetic in their approach to writing and life. Sadly, Vachss passed away not long ago, which I found out in a post from Lansdale. The world of crime fiction has lost a giant.
Now back to our regularly scheduled review! Born for Trouble is a new collection of Hap and Leonard stories, which is always cause for celebration. Unlike the past couple of collections, which focused on the boy’s early years, the stories in Born for Trouble cover Hap and Leonard in their later, more mature years. Don’t panic, mature refers only to their age. They are still, for the most part, the same shit-talking, shit-kicking badasses you know and love. Hap may be coming to terms with married life and fatherhood, and he’s a little less quick to pull the trigger, but he’s still tough as nails. And Leonard is still Leonard, just as volatile, just as willing to fuck shit up.
As far as the stories go, this is a book of crime fiction, and there are few better than Lansdale. In several of them, Hap and Leonard are working as private investigators, with Hap’s wife Brett. His adult daughter Chance is along for the ride as well. They are often working with, and sparring with, their friend Marvin Hanson, the police chief of LaBorde, Texas. There are murders aplenty here, colorfully corrupt characters, and the sort of wall to wall mayhem and adventures Hap and Leonard always seem to fall into.
I had read several of these stories before as Kindle singles, and I didn’t mind rereading them a bit. Lansdale is a master storyteller. Settling down with this collection is like getting together with old, cherished friends—the kind of friends who you just know are going to get you in trouble, and you just don’t care.
Born for Trouble will be released March 21, 2022. This one’s a must-have.
January 25, 2024
This is Joe R. Lansdale, and it's Lansdale writing Hap & Leonard, so there's always going to be a good time had by all.
This one's no exception, with five shorter tales from Hap & Leonard's latter years.
I will state absolutely right up front that I loved every single one of these stories.
But I do also have to state that, at times, they did feel a little indulgent. For example, we're treated to a few pages at the start of "The Briar Patch Boogie" that really add nothing to the context of the story, it's just Hap & Leonard langorously insulting and berating each other and cracking mildly amusing jokes at the start of the story. It takes several pages for any story to actually kick in.
And there's other spots like this scattered throughout the other stories. While I don't mind them, because, let's be real, we come for the camaraderie of those two fellas, but there's also a thing as too much of those fellas with no story to support their antics.
Elmore Leonard said, in his rules of writing, that a writer should cut out the parts the reader would skip over.
These stories, while entertaining, could have used a bit of judicious pruning.
Still, Lansdale at his worst is still miles better than most authors at their best. Definitely worth the read.
This one's no exception, with five shorter tales from Hap & Leonard's latter years.
I will state absolutely right up front that I loved every single one of these stories.
But I do also have to state that, at times, they did feel a little indulgent. For example, we're treated to a few pages at the start of "The Briar Patch Boogie" that really add nothing to the context of the story, it's just Hap & Leonard langorously insulting and berating each other and cracking mildly amusing jokes at the start of the story. It takes several pages for any story to actually kick in.
And there's other spots like this scattered throughout the other stories. While I don't mind them, because, let's be real, we come for the camaraderie of those two fellas, but there's also a thing as too much of those fellas with no story to support their antics.
Elmore Leonard said, in his rules of writing, that a writer should cut out the parts the reader would skip over.
These stories, while entertaining, could have used a bit of judicious pruning.
Still, Lansdale at his worst is still miles better than most authors at their best. Definitely worth the read.
January 30, 2022
It's always nice to visit with Hap Collins and leonard Pine two of my favorite Texas characters. Born For Trouble by Joe R. Lansdale is a compilation of short stories that some of you might have already read and some you might have missed. For me it was familiar ground all of the stories except for Sad Onion which I somehow never read before. Still as I said, it's always nice to visit with these rascals. They are some of the best created characters ever and I love to see what they are up to. The stories are filled with mysteries and humor and whitty dialogue. If you by some strange rason never have read any of these adventures you should remedy this at once. I am never disapointed by the stories from this author. I must thank @netgalley and @tachyonpub for letting me read this advance copy out in stores in the end of March. and of course @joe_r_lansdale for coming up with these adventures. Great work.
October 26, 2021
An important collection in the Hap and Leonard universe. A must have for those who love the boys, and a wonderful introduction to those who have yet to meet them.
November 28, 2022
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
BORN FOR TROUBLE: THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF HAP AND LEONARD by author Joe R. Lansdale is a collection of short stories of the adventures of the earlier days of Hap and Leonard that include stories that highlight some of the difficulties experienced in their youth, and gives a window into the development of their friendship and commitment to coming to the aid of those less fortunate who are discriminated against and taken advantage of.
Several of the stories will be recognized as different in the events of the past by fans of the television series that ended (unfortunately), and in my opinion is not a bad thing but rather separates the books from the television series in a way that keeps things interesting
Highly recommended to fans of both the books and the television series involving the antics of the duo, it would also be a great place to start for any who are unfamiliar with Hap and Leopard and their “kick-ass-and-take names” approach to investigation and the pursuit of justice, so get yourself some Nilla Wafers and Dr. Pepper and settle in for an enjoyable addition to the stories involving the duo..
4.5 stars
BORN FOR TROUBLE: THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF HAP AND LEONARD by author Joe R. Lansdale is a collection of short stories of the adventures of the earlier days of Hap and Leonard that include stories that highlight some of the difficulties experienced in their youth, and gives a window into the development of their friendship and commitment to coming to the aid of those less fortunate who are discriminated against and taken advantage of.
Several of the stories will be recognized as different in the events of the past by fans of the television series that ended (unfortunately), and in my opinion is not a bad thing but rather separates the books from the television series in a way that keeps things interesting
Highly recommended to fans of both the books and the television series involving the antics of the duo, it would also be a great place to start for any who are unfamiliar with Hap and Leopard and their “kick-ass-and-take names” approach to investigation and the pursuit of justice, so get yourself some Nilla Wafers and Dr. Pepper and settle in for an enjoyable addition to the stories involving the duo..
4.5 stars
January 27, 2022
I received this from Tachyon Publications in exchange for an honest review.
So this was a surprise, sort of. I knew this book was coming out soon, and I knew that since it was a Hap and Leonard book, it would be an automatic read. I wasn't expecting an anthology of novellas that had been previously published (with one exception).
The one exception was Sad Onions, a very quick short story highlighting just how quick these two can get into trouble. It ended very abruptly, too.
The rest of the stories I read previously, but I enjoyed them again. Joe Lansdale is such a great writer.
If you haven't read any of the Hap and Leonard books, this is probably a good starting point. Get busy!
So this was a surprise, sort of. I knew this book was coming out soon, and I knew that since it was a Hap and Leonard book, it would be an automatic read. I wasn't expecting an anthology of novellas that had been previously published (with one exception).
The one exception was Sad Onions, a very quick short story highlighting just how quick these two can get into trouble. It ended very abruptly, too.
The rest of the stories I read previously, but I enjoyed them again. Joe Lansdale is such a great writer.
If you haven't read any of the Hap and Leonard books, this is probably a good starting point. Get busy!
March 12, 2022
If you're considering a 2022 Hap & Leonard collection of stories, chances are this isn't your first time with the dynamic duo. If that's the case, you know Lansdale doesn't miss when it comes to these stories. Sure, some are more impactful than others, but they all contain the snappy dialogue and brotherly camaraderie that's been putting smiles on the faces of readers since 1990.
Born for Trouble focuses on novelette length mysteries with the trademark violence and humor, but a little lighter on the social commentary. Fair, considering none span more than 70 or so pages, and while you can delve into that material in a shorter span of time, it won't resemble some of the better examples, such as Two-Bear Mambo.
While not the strongest of the five stories, "Coco Butternut" presents a good picture of the tone and atmosphere of the collection. "Hoodoo Harry" gives the reader a more straightforward mystery, solved in the Hap&Leonard-esque outside-the-law way. "Cold Cotton" is probably the best of the bunch, mixing a viciousness with detached humor and sprinkling in some satisfying twists and turns along the way.
Like I said, if you're a longtime reader, you know what you're in for. If this is your first time, this is a fine place to start, so pull up a chair and get to know the boys.
Born for Trouble focuses on novelette length mysteries with the trademark violence and humor, but a little lighter on the social commentary. Fair, considering none span more than 70 or so pages, and while you can delve into that material in a shorter span of time, it won't resemble some of the better examples, such as Two-Bear Mambo.
While not the strongest of the five stories, "Coco Butternut" presents a good picture of the tone and atmosphere of the collection. "Hoodoo Harry" gives the reader a more straightforward mystery, solved in the Hap&Leonard-esque outside-the-law way. "Cold Cotton" is probably the best of the bunch, mixing a viciousness with detached humor and sprinkling in some satisfying twists and turns along the way.
Like I said, if you're a longtime reader, you know what you're in for. If this is your first time, this is a fine place to start, so pull up a chair and get to know the boys.
July 17, 2022
Lansdale je skvělý vypravěč, dokáže vytvářet atmosféru, sázet hlášky... ale samotný příběh už pro něj často zase tak podstatný není. Což je blbý, zvláště kdy jde o povídky, kde přece jen čekáte nějaký zvrat či překvapení, a navíc, kdy jde o detektivní povídky, kde to čekáte tuplem. Tady prostě vypustil ze řetězu své oblíbené hrdiny Hapa a Leonarda, nechal je se dohodovat a hláškovat, a zbytek prostě jen tak nechal plynout. Takže se tu stalo třeba to, že dvě novely mají skoro stejného pachatele i způsob jeho odhalení. Proto je asi nejlepší povídkou Briar Patch Boggie, kde se nic nevyšetřuje a Hap a Leonard se ocitnou uprostřed filmaři tolik oblíbeného sportu - honu na člověka. Plus je tu i zábavné to, jak stárnoucí hrdinové vyráží užít si divočinu... a zjišťují, že už je to tak moc nebere, že teplá postel, restaurace a kávovar jsou lepší než snaha usmažit si vlastnoručně ulovenou rybu.
Finální příběh, Cold Cotton, sice dějově taky neohromí, ale čtenář musí ocenit, že začíná Hapovými problémy s erekcí a pokračuje obrovským masakrem. Což je, když uvážíme situaci, docela dobrý vývoj.
Joe R. Lansdale je i na volnoběh čtivý a zábavný a fajn. Ale přece jen, když to má podtržené nějakým dobrý příběhem (nemusí být nutně úplně originální), tak je to větší lahůdka.
Finální příběh, Cold Cotton, sice dějově taky neohromí, ale čtenář musí ocenit, že začíná Hapovými problémy s erekcí a pokračuje obrovským masakrem. Což je, když uvážíme situaci, docela dobrý vývoj.
Joe R. Lansdale je i na volnoběh čtivý a zábavný a fajn. Ale přece jen, když to má podtržené nějakým dobrý příběhem (nemusí být nutně úplně originální), tak je to větší lahůdka.
September 28, 2023
Born for Trouble: The Further Adventures of Hap and Leonard by Joe R. Lansdale
Tachyon Publications 3/5 stars LibraryThing
GENRES: Mystery, Private Investigators, Crime, Short Stories
This is a collection of five short stories that follows Texan private investigators during the 1980’s. They are as different from each other as friends could possibly be. Leonard Pine is black, gay, and Republican: while Hap Collins is white, a recently married heterosexual, and (gasp!) a liberal. They get involved in crimes that take place in fictional town LaBorde, located in east Texas.
The writing in these stories is comfortable and witty. The dialogue is realistic, and the writing is sparse and crisp. Although this was my first Hap and Leonard book, I got to really know these guys as they interacted during their capers. You can enjoy these stories without having to read previous novels.
If you like Walter Mosely, James Lee Burke, and Elmore Leonard, you would enjoy this book and the Hap and Leonard series.
Tachyon Publications 3/5 stars LibraryThing
GENRES: Mystery, Private Investigators, Crime, Short Stories
This is a collection of five short stories that follows Texan private investigators during the 1980’s. They are as different from each other as friends could possibly be. Leonard Pine is black, gay, and Republican: while Hap Collins is white, a recently married heterosexual, and (gasp!) a liberal. They get involved in crimes that take place in fictional town LaBorde, located in east Texas.
The writing in these stories is comfortable and witty. The dialogue is realistic, and the writing is sparse and crisp. Although this was my first Hap and Leonard book, I got to really know these guys as they interacted during their capers. You can enjoy these stories without having to read previous novels.
If you like Walter Mosely, James Lee Burke, and Elmore Leonard, you would enjoy this book and the Hap and Leonard series.
August 13, 2022
Another collection of short stories featuring everyone's favourite east Texans. A selection of cases from the Brett Sawyer agency and of their own misadventures. Hap (and probably Leonard too) is feeling his age. He still enjoys watching the woman who runs the bike shop near the office but will only ever look... And of late little Hap has been unwilling to stand up and fulfil his promises.
Joe Lansdale's stories of our intrepid duo age like fine wine, and they too aren't spring chickens anymore... Of course they're still thankful they dont work on the rose fields, the aluminium chair factory or the chicken plant, and we are too. Always filled with the elephant of surprise they never disapoint (well, maybe Little Hap dies now and again) 😉
Joe Lansdale's stories of our intrepid duo age like fine wine, and they too aren't spring chickens anymore... Of course they're still thankful they dont work on the rose fields, the aluminium chair factory or the chicken plant, and we are too. Always filled with the elephant of surprise they never disapoint (well, maybe Little Hap dies now and again) 😉
March 22, 2022
To see a full review check it out here
The genre didn't work for me, neither did the dialogue. But I loved the ideas behind the stories and characters. I need to keep giving this series a shot.
The genre didn't work for me, neither did the dialogue. But I loved the ideas behind the stories and characters. I need to keep giving this series a shot.
March 21, 2022
Recommended.
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...
September 11, 2022
The latest Hap and Leonard work from Tachyon Publications is a terrific gathering of five different stories, all previously published in one form or another. Tachyon doesn't really do much on the original novel side for Lansdale. They specialize in packaging together shorter works (though Hap and Leonard: Blood and Lemonade plays with the collection format by presenting itself as a mosaic novel), leaving the novel length works to Lansdale's other publishers (Mulholland Books has done the last five or so). Born For Trouble: The Further Adventures of Hap and Leonard is a continuation of a series that kicked off not as a series at all, but as a standalone novel, about a couple of East Texas lads who are exactly as the title declares them, doomed from the first moments they slid into this world. Doomed to endure troubles aplenty, maybe, but not despair. It might show up from time to time as it does in everyone's life (the novel The Two-Bear Mambo explores this topic quite effectively), but it doesn't stick around for long. And each of these works, which range from short story to novella length, offers plenty of trouble, a blend of crime, suspense, horror, and humor in that Lansdale tradition. It's a fine starting place for Hap and Leonard's adventures, though I'd recommend going with Savage Season for that. It's a hell of a read.
A majority of the stories in Born For Trouble directly invoke the pastime of fishing. Two of the stories start out with our heroes heading home to LaBorde, Texas after a day spent with rod and reels. One of them kicks off in the middle of what must be among the worst fishing trips ever taken.
Then again, most crime fiction is about luring the reader in the way expert and amateur fishermen lure in their prey. Regular readers will look forward to falling for a good author's efforts to nab them, hook, line, and sinker. It's a treat to have an expert craftsman, a solid wordsmith, or an engaging storyteller spin away the hours with a yarn worth listening to. Lansdale is actually all three of these.
Let's take a look at each of the five stories in turn:
"Coco Butternut" is the first of the bunch, and here we find Hap and Leonard as well as Hap's wife Brett and his daughter Chance getting hired to exchange a satchel of money for some stolen goods. It's a situation plucked right out of Raymond Chandler, but of course Lansdale makes it his own straight away. The item in question is not blackmail materials or even a purloined trinket of real value, it's the embalmed carcass of a dog. Why shell out cash for a dead dog? Well, it was a favorite of the client's mother, you see, and since she's gone the client has sentimental reasons to see the pooch carcass come back home. Still, when the pair cannot help but peek in the satchel, they quickly realize something else is happening. No dead dog is worth one hundred grand, even a departed momma's favorite departed mutt. When the exchange reveals a heretofore unrevealed corpse and the client himself turns up dead, things get suspenseful in a hurry. This story first appeared as a limited edition chapbook from Subterranean Press.
Second in the book is "Hoodoo Harry," a story that finds the guys returning home from a fishing trip and nearly getting run off the road by an out of control bus. That bus is no bus at all, but a bookmobile that's been missing for years, being driven by a kid who dies before he can offer answers. However, stowed away on board are the elements of a crime, the dead bodies of a woman and several kids soaked in oil for preservation purposes. Hap and Leonard's investigation turns over some stones to reveal dark, squirming secrets indeed. Coming to this story after the recent passing of Andrew Vachss (who cowrote the Hap and Leonard story "Veil's Visit" with Lansdale, and with whom Lansdale maintained a brotherhood/friendship), I could not help but see Vachss' influence here. The situation and the execution are close cousins to some of that author's own works though Lansdale makes it his own. However, it serves as a fitting tip of the hat from one master storyteller to another. "Hoodoo Harry" first appeared as a part of the Bibliomysteries series of standalone eBook novella released from Mysterious Bookshop.
Next up is the shorter yarn, "Sad Onions," which finds Hap and Leonard coming back from a fishing trip to discover an auto accident, a woman in the road, and a dead man in the car below. She's upset, naturally, worried about her husband, but something about the whole situation doesn't sit well with our heroes. There's something more going on here than first meets the eye. Of course they make a choice to keep their lives interesting: "So, we talked about the night before, kicked that around a bit, and since it was really none of our business, we got right on looking into it." What they find is a situation that is a flipside to something Jim Thompson or James M. Cain would've conceived, a woeful story about a guy who married the wrong gal, the plan she enacted to get his fortune, and the sinister coverup involved in hiding the crime. However, neither Thompson nor Cain ever figured on a couple of loveable troublemakers like these to interfere in such a plan. This story first appeared in the anthology Odd Partners, edited by Anne Perry.
Fourth up is a story that finds Hap and Leonard on a fishing trip in one of the worst imaginable cabins ever. There's comedy aplenty here, including one of the most delightfully passive-aggressive morning coffee preparations written. However, the humor shifts to suspense when the pair encounter a woman in the swamps, arrow sticking out of her side, claiming that a quartet of people are hunting her. Hap and Leonard soon find themselves involved living out their own version of "The Most Dangerous Game," with a group of psychos that would not be out of place in a Richard Laymon novel. This one is a nail biter of a story. "The Briar Patch Boogie" first appeared as a novelette from Gere Donovan Press.
Finally, we have "Cold Cotton," a story that reads like a compressed Hap and Leonard novel in all the best ways. Here, we kick off on both a comic and somber note: Hap's having some difficulties getting aroused. His doctor suggests trying a therapist before turning to medications, and Hap sits on the fence until the therapist in question calls on him. She's got a situation involving death threats, and she needs private investigators to look into the situation. Enter Hap, Leonard, Brett, and Leonard's boyfriend Officer Curt "Pookie" Carroll, who do what they can. Unfortunately, when Dr. Cotton's secret past rears its ugly head, she dismisses the investigators, and that proves her undoing. Soon, she's dead, and the guys are left to figure out whodunit and why. What follows is gut wrenching, heartbreaking, and yet funny as hell. The perfect Lansdale mix, in other words. This story first appeared as an original novella from Crossroads Press.
All five yarns show Lansdale's keen synthesis of crime fiction's history. While I call out some of the bigger names his stories tip their hats to, it's hard not to see a touch of Day Keene here, John D. MacDonald there, etc., etc. These are not awkwardly shoehorned homages, but glimpses at Lansdale's influences. The stories are all Lansdale, of course, and Hap and Leonard never come across as anyone but themselves (even if Leonard sometimes takes to wearing a fedora).
It's challenging to write series characters, and although we seldom worry about whether Hap or Leonard will make it out alive, we are left to wonder how they're going to get out of this or that encounter, and if they might lose fingers, ears, limbs, or companions along the way. The suspense is still powerful, and the storytelling is still high bar.
In "The Boys," the author's introduction to the collection, Lansdale mentions that he writes Hap and Leonard stories between novels. Kind of breather moments. These certainly read as breaths of fresh air, an author playing with some ideas and revisiting a couple of characters he knows so well. The stories are never phoned in, they are well crafted and entertaining works, engaging for all the right reasons and as capable of belly laughs as of moving us with a turn of unexpected, raw emotional honesty … or grossing us out with an unexpected, nasty, yet poignant turn of phrase or moment.
That's the secret recipe Lansdale has been perfecting over his career, evident in standalone stories as well as his series work, and it's a recipe I've grown rather fond of. Hap and Leonard are some of the first of the author's characters I encountered. They entered my life back when Mucho Mojo hit stands at my local Waldenbooks (remember them?) in a Mysterious Press hardcover that sported an unusual-yet-compelling cover image for a strange, enchanting, and disturbing story. It is nice to revisit these characters and find them still getting into (and out of) trouble almost thirty years on.
After all, they were born for it.
Born For Trouble finds Lansdale penning some terrific tales. They are suspenseful and sometimes laugh out loud gems of story from one of our country's finest storytellers, featuring two of his most beloved characters. If the stories themselves don't seem too deep at first brush, that should not be a matter of concern. These are short works, straight ahead narratives that chill the blood, rouse a laugh, or give us a moment of sad reflection. The depth is there if you care to dig in, visible in craft, characterizations, and the workings of the world. However, the stories also offer the not-to-be-missed chance to catch up with perhaps the least likely pairing of investigators to come along in crime fiction since Nero Wolf and Archie Goodwin.
A majority of the stories in Born For Trouble directly invoke the pastime of fishing. Two of the stories start out with our heroes heading home to LaBorde, Texas after a day spent with rod and reels. One of them kicks off in the middle of what must be among the worst fishing trips ever taken.
Then again, most crime fiction is about luring the reader in the way expert and amateur fishermen lure in their prey. Regular readers will look forward to falling for a good author's efforts to nab them, hook, line, and sinker. It's a treat to have an expert craftsman, a solid wordsmith, or an engaging storyteller spin away the hours with a yarn worth listening to. Lansdale is actually all three of these.
Let's take a look at each of the five stories in turn:
"Coco Butternut" is the first of the bunch, and here we find Hap and Leonard as well as Hap's wife Brett and his daughter Chance getting hired to exchange a satchel of money for some stolen goods. It's a situation plucked right out of Raymond Chandler, but of course Lansdale makes it his own straight away. The item in question is not blackmail materials or even a purloined trinket of real value, it's the embalmed carcass of a dog. Why shell out cash for a dead dog? Well, it was a favorite of the client's mother, you see, and since she's gone the client has sentimental reasons to see the pooch carcass come back home. Still, when the pair cannot help but peek in the satchel, they quickly realize something else is happening. No dead dog is worth one hundred grand, even a departed momma's favorite departed mutt. When the exchange reveals a heretofore unrevealed corpse and the client himself turns up dead, things get suspenseful in a hurry. This story first appeared as a limited edition chapbook from Subterranean Press.
Second in the book is "Hoodoo Harry," a story that finds the guys returning home from a fishing trip and nearly getting run off the road by an out of control bus. That bus is no bus at all, but a bookmobile that's been missing for years, being driven by a kid who dies before he can offer answers. However, stowed away on board are the elements of a crime, the dead bodies of a woman and several kids soaked in oil for preservation purposes. Hap and Leonard's investigation turns over some stones to reveal dark, squirming secrets indeed. Coming to this story after the recent passing of Andrew Vachss (who cowrote the Hap and Leonard story "Veil's Visit" with Lansdale, and with whom Lansdale maintained a brotherhood/friendship), I could not help but see Vachss' influence here. The situation and the execution are close cousins to some of that author's own works though Lansdale makes it his own. However, it serves as a fitting tip of the hat from one master storyteller to another. "Hoodoo Harry" first appeared as a part of the Bibliomysteries series of standalone eBook novella released from Mysterious Bookshop.
Next up is the shorter yarn, "Sad Onions," which finds Hap and Leonard coming back from a fishing trip to discover an auto accident, a woman in the road, and a dead man in the car below. She's upset, naturally, worried about her husband, but something about the whole situation doesn't sit well with our heroes. There's something more going on here than first meets the eye. Of course they make a choice to keep their lives interesting: "So, we talked about the night before, kicked that around a bit, and since it was really none of our business, we got right on looking into it." What they find is a situation that is a flipside to something Jim Thompson or James M. Cain would've conceived, a woeful story about a guy who married the wrong gal, the plan she enacted to get his fortune, and the sinister coverup involved in hiding the crime. However, neither Thompson nor Cain ever figured on a couple of loveable troublemakers like these to interfere in such a plan. This story first appeared in the anthology Odd Partners, edited by Anne Perry.
Fourth up is a story that finds Hap and Leonard on a fishing trip in one of the worst imaginable cabins ever. There's comedy aplenty here, including one of the most delightfully passive-aggressive morning coffee preparations written. However, the humor shifts to suspense when the pair encounter a woman in the swamps, arrow sticking out of her side, claiming that a quartet of people are hunting her. Hap and Leonard soon find themselves involved living out their own version of "The Most Dangerous Game," with a group of psychos that would not be out of place in a Richard Laymon novel. This one is a nail biter of a story. "The Briar Patch Boogie" first appeared as a novelette from Gere Donovan Press.
Finally, we have "Cold Cotton," a story that reads like a compressed Hap and Leonard novel in all the best ways. Here, we kick off on both a comic and somber note: Hap's having some difficulties getting aroused. His doctor suggests trying a therapist before turning to medications, and Hap sits on the fence until the therapist in question calls on him. She's got a situation involving death threats, and she needs private investigators to look into the situation. Enter Hap, Leonard, Brett, and Leonard's boyfriend Officer Curt "Pookie" Carroll, who do what they can. Unfortunately, when Dr. Cotton's secret past rears its ugly head, she dismisses the investigators, and that proves her undoing. Soon, she's dead, and the guys are left to figure out whodunit and why. What follows is gut wrenching, heartbreaking, and yet funny as hell. The perfect Lansdale mix, in other words. This story first appeared as an original novella from Crossroads Press.
All five yarns show Lansdale's keen synthesis of crime fiction's history. While I call out some of the bigger names his stories tip their hats to, it's hard not to see a touch of Day Keene here, John D. MacDonald there, etc., etc. These are not awkwardly shoehorned homages, but glimpses at Lansdale's influences. The stories are all Lansdale, of course, and Hap and Leonard never come across as anyone but themselves (even if Leonard sometimes takes to wearing a fedora).
It's challenging to write series characters, and although we seldom worry about whether Hap or Leonard will make it out alive, we are left to wonder how they're going to get out of this or that encounter, and if they might lose fingers, ears, limbs, or companions along the way. The suspense is still powerful, and the storytelling is still high bar.
In "The Boys," the author's introduction to the collection, Lansdale mentions that he writes Hap and Leonard stories between novels. Kind of breather moments. These certainly read as breaths of fresh air, an author playing with some ideas and revisiting a couple of characters he knows so well. The stories are never phoned in, they are well crafted and entertaining works, engaging for all the right reasons and as capable of belly laughs as of moving us with a turn of unexpected, raw emotional honesty … or grossing us out with an unexpected, nasty, yet poignant turn of phrase or moment.
That's the secret recipe Lansdale has been perfecting over his career, evident in standalone stories as well as his series work, and it's a recipe I've grown rather fond of. Hap and Leonard are some of the first of the author's characters I encountered. They entered my life back when Mucho Mojo hit stands at my local Waldenbooks (remember them?) in a Mysterious Press hardcover that sported an unusual-yet-compelling cover image for a strange, enchanting, and disturbing story. It is nice to revisit these characters and find them still getting into (and out of) trouble almost thirty years on.
After all, they were born for it.
Born For Trouble finds Lansdale penning some terrific tales. They are suspenseful and sometimes laugh out loud gems of story from one of our country's finest storytellers, featuring two of his most beloved characters. If the stories themselves don't seem too deep at first brush, that should not be a matter of concern. These are short works, straight ahead narratives that chill the blood, rouse a laugh, or give us a moment of sad reflection. The depth is there if you care to dig in, visible in craft, characterizations, and the workings of the world. However, the stories also offer the not-to-be-missed chance to catch up with perhaps the least likely pairing of investigators to come along in crime fiction since Nero Wolf and Archie Goodwin.
Read
April 2, 2022Reviewed by Si Dunn for Lone Star Literary Life.
May 23, 2022
Love me some Hap and Leonard stories. These were dark topics -- and nobody does dark with a light touch like Joe R. Lansdale
August 10, 2022
‘Born For Trouble: The Further Adventures Of Hap And Leonard’ is a collection of five stories featuring Joe Lansdale’s east Texas based private investigators, now on television! All these stories are narrated first person by Hap, an ageing white man with liberal views, not fond of guns and killing, married to Brett, a red-haired beauty and with a daughter called Chance that he didn’t meet until she was grown-up. Hap’s best friend, like a brother, is Leonard, a gay black Republican voter who loves guns. They all work for Brett’s detective agency but Hap and Leonard do most of the investigating.
It isn’t fantasy or Science Fiction or horror, not supernatural horror anyway, but there’s plenty of real life horror. Hap and Leonard meet child killers, rapists, murderers and even encounter bestiality. Adult themes, I believe they call it, so not for those of gentle disposition. Agatha Christie it ain’t. These five stories were originally published in various other places between 2016-2019 and are gathered here for your enjoyment.
Lansdale doesn’t plot but makes it up as he goes along, putting the boys in trouble and then trying to get them out of it. In ‘Coco-Butternut’, they are approached by Jimmy Farmer to pay a ransom for a dead dog. Why would anyone pay half a million bucks for a dead dog? Hap and Leonard’s curiosity nearly gets them killed.
‘Hoodoo Harry’ was a lady called Harriet who drove a library bus out to poor black communities but she and the bus vanished a while back. Hap and Leonard meet it when they’re coming back from a fishing trip. It’s driven badly by a beat-up black kid and crashes into them. Further investigation leads them to some very nasty goings on out in the boondocks and results in an ethical clash between our heroes about how to deal with bad guys. I side with Leonard in cases like this.
‘Sad Onions’ is the name for a vegetable crisp made from onions. On the way back from another fishing trip, Hap nearly runs over a blonde lady in the road. There has been a car crash. Her husband Frank Parker, the wealthy inventor and manufacturer of Sad Onions is dead. Suspicious circumstances lead Hap and Leonard into even more trouble.
In ‘The Briar Patch Boogie’, while on another fishing trip, way out in swamps near Louisiana, the boys encounter a woman being hunted. She has an arrow in her and has been beaten and raped. Just some good ol’ boys having fun. Is it time for Hap and Leonard to give up fishing? This is particularly grim. Lansdale admits in his introduction that when people think of Texas they think of trigger-happy rednecks toting guns but assures us there are plenty of other types there as well.
‘Cold Cotton’ begins amusingly with Hap having erectile dysfunction. Sex and beautiful women are often discussed in the stories, usually in a light-hearted way, but there are no graphic descriptions. Anyway, Hap’s doctor thinks his problem is psychiatric, caused by the stress of his job and recommends a headshrinker. Carol Cotton is a beautiful psychiatrist with inherited money who lives in a high walled mansion with some Mexican servants and a mad nymphomaniac niece. She’s been getting murder threats and blackmail, too. Hap and Leonard get involved and there’s more trouble. But trouble is their business.
I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Born For Trouble: The Further Adventures Of Hap And Leonard’ just as I enjoy most of Lansdale’s work. It isn’t the plots, which are pretty formulaic and not especially clever for the detective genre. In two stories, the murderers give themselves away by mentioning something that wasn’t in the information released to the press. However, with such a great cast of characters exchanging sparkling dialogue and rude similes that make you laugh out loud, who cares about the plot? Raymond Chandler didn’t and, like him, Lansdale’s carries you along with his writing. Recommended but with the caveat about rude words and grisly violence. I believe fans of Joe R Lansdale are accustomed to all those things.
It isn’t fantasy or Science Fiction or horror, not supernatural horror anyway, but there’s plenty of real life horror. Hap and Leonard meet child killers, rapists, murderers and even encounter bestiality. Adult themes, I believe they call it, so not for those of gentle disposition. Agatha Christie it ain’t. These five stories were originally published in various other places between 2016-2019 and are gathered here for your enjoyment.
Lansdale doesn’t plot but makes it up as he goes along, putting the boys in trouble and then trying to get them out of it. In ‘Coco-Butternut’, they are approached by Jimmy Farmer to pay a ransom for a dead dog. Why would anyone pay half a million bucks for a dead dog? Hap and Leonard’s curiosity nearly gets them killed.
‘Hoodoo Harry’ was a lady called Harriet who drove a library bus out to poor black communities but she and the bus vanished a while back. Hap and Leonard meet it when they’re coming back from a fishing trip. It’s driven badly by a beat-up black kid and crashes into them. Further investigation leads them to some very nasty goings on out in the boondocks and results in an ethical clash between our heroes about how to deal with bad guys. I side with Leonard in cases like this.
‘Sad Onions’ is the name for a vegetable crisp made from onions. On the way back from another fishing trip, Hap nearly runs over a blonde lady in the road. There has been a car crash. Her husband Frank Parker, the wealthy inventor and manufacturer of Sad Onions is dead. Suspicious circumstances lead Hap and Leonard into even more trouble.
In ‘The Briar Patch Boogie’, while on another fishing trip, way out in swamps near Louisiana, the boys encounter a woman being hunted. She has an arrow in her and has been beaten and raped. Just some good ol’ boys having fun. Is it time for Hap and Leonard to give up fishing? This is particularly grim. Lansdale admits in his introduction that when people think of Texas they think of trigger-happy rednecks toting guns but assures us there are plenty of other types there as well.
‘Cold Cotton’ begins amusingly with Hap having erectile dysfunction. Sex and beautiful women are often discussed in the stories, usually in a light-hearted way, but there are no graphic descriptions. Anyway, Hap’s doctor thinks his problem is psychiatric, caused by the stress of his job and recommends a headshrinker. Carol Cotton is a beautiful psychiatrist with inherited money who lives in a high walled mansion with some Mexican servants and a mad nymphomaniac niece. She’s been getting murder threats and blackmail, too. Hap and Leonard get involved and there’s more trouble. But trouble is their business.
I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Born For Trouble: The Further Adventures Of Hap And Leonard’ just as I enjoy most of Lansdale’s work. It isn’t the plots, which are pretty formulaic and not especially clever for the detective genre. In two stories, the murderers give themselves away by mentioning something that wasn’t in the information released to the press. However, with such a great cast of characters exchanging sparkling dialogue and rude similes that make you laugh out loud, who cares about the plot? Raymond Chandler didn’t and, like him, Lansdale’s carries you along with his writing. Recommended but with the caveat about rude words and grisly violence. I believe fans of Joe R Lansdale are accustomed to all those things.
April 15, 2022
Another fun, furious, dark collection of Hap and Leonard stories. Novellas seem to be the perfect form for this series. They have room for the characters’ famous banter, yet they are short enough to still deliver punchy plots that do not require a lot of complexity.
Here are my individual story reviews:
"Coco Butternut"
Hap and Leonard are hired to exchange a satchel of cash—$100,000 worth—for a mummified dog corpse. This seems fishy at first, and it becomes downright criminal when they discover the dog corpse is actually interred alongside a female human body. This leads to some off-the-books investigating that turns up two spouse-murdering suspects and ends in a bulldozer vs. backhoe death match outside a pet cemetery.
Filled with brisk action and smart-ass dialog, this is vintage Hap and Leonard. Originally published as a limited-edition hardback by Subterranean Press.
"Hoodoo Harry"
Hap Collins and Leonard Pine barely survive a wreck with a runaway bookmobile being driven by a scared 12-year old boy on a country backroad. The boy dies, and they discover six bodies in the back of the bus. Soon they are hot on the trail of a 15-year old missing persons case involving an abusive husband and a pair of child predators.
This 90-page novella was originally published by Mysterious Press, as part of their bibliomystery series, in both a limited edition hardcover and a paperback printing sold exclusively at the Mysterious Bookshop in Manhattan. It takes place between the novels Rusty Puppy and Jackrabbit Smile.
"Sad Onions"
Driving home one night from a fishing trip, Hap and Leonard come across a young, pretty, barefoot white woman standing in the middle of the road. Her old, black husband lies dead in a wrecked car at the bottom of the embankment. At first it looks like a simple accident, but several little clues don't add up. Throw in a pile of life insurance money, two crooked cops, and a gunfight beside an old quarry. A good time is had by all.
"The Briar Patch Boogie"
A woman has been beaten, raped, and hunted for sport through the swamplands of East Texas. Hap wants to call in the law, but no way is Leonard going to let this go -- no way at all! This story includes some of the best banter and wisecracks from Hap and Leonard in several years.
"Cold Cotton"
"Who would have thought me worrying about my erection problem was going to lead to murder?" Hap's bedroom failures lead to five dead bodies, a jewel heist, and a disturbing episode of dog porn. This is my favorite story in the book.
Here are my individual story reviews:
"Coco Butternut"
Hap and Leonard are hired to exchange a satchel of cash—$100,000 worth—for a mummified dog corpse. This seems fishy at first, and it becomes downright criminal when they discover the dog corpse is actually interred alongside a female human body. This leads to some off-the-books investigating that turns up two spouse-murdering suspects and ends in a bulldozer vs. backhoe death match outside a pet cemetery.
Filled with brisk action and smart-ass dialog, this is vintage Hap and Leonard. Originally published as a limited-edition hardback by Subterranean Press.
"Hoodoo Harry"
Hap Collins and Leonard Pine barely survive a wreck with a runaway bookmobile being driven by a scared 12-year old boy on a country backroad. The boy dies, and they discover six bodies in the back of the bus. Soon they are hot on the trail of a 15-year old missing persons case involving an abusive husband and a pair of child predators.
This 90-page novella was originally published by Mysterious Press, as part of their bibliomystery series, in both a limited edition hardcover and a paperback printing sold exclusively at the Mysterious Bookshop in Manhattan. It takes place between the novels Rusty Puppy and Jackrabbit Smile.
"Sad Onions"
Driving home one night from a fishing trip, Hap and Leonard come across a young, pretty, barefoot white woman standing in the middle of the road. Her old, black husband lies dead in a wrecked car at the bottom of the embankment. At first it looks like a simple accident, but several little clues don't add up. Throw in a pile of life insurance money, two crooked cops, and a gunfight beside an old quarry. A good time is had by all.
"The Briar Patch Boogie"
A woman has been beaten, raped, and hunted for sport through the swamplands of East Texas. Hap wants to call in the law, but no way is Leonard going to let this go -- no way at all! This story includes some of the best banter and wisecracks from Hap and Leonard in several years.
"Cold Cotton"
"Who would have thought me worrying about my erection problem was going to lead to murder?" Hap's bedroom failures lead to five dead bodies, a jewel heist, and a disturbing episode of dog porn. This is my favorite story in the book.
December 24, 2021
Joe R. Lansdale is one of the most talented and naturally gifted storytellers working today. He has a near perfect sense of pace, and plot twists that virtually ambush a reader yet seem inevitable in hindsight. The Hap and Leonard book series, one of his better known creations, is a perfect example of how Lansdale defies stereotypes and cliches by taking the familiar tropes and turning them around, back, sideways, and beyond. Not since the late great Elmore Leonard has a writer so completely revamped the genre of Crime Fiction -- Lansdale takes it to places it's never been before in ways you never imagined.
What strikes me the most about this great collection is how much it shows the growth and evolution of the East Texas dynamic duo known as Hap and Leonard. From young guns who are ready to take names and kick butt without breaking a sweat to men of a certain age who now prefer air conditioning and soft beds but still feel compelled to do the right thing even when they know it's probably going to hurt... a lot! The "boys" aren't playing, the consequences and the stakes are serious (even if they, themselves, rarely are).
I'm probably going to get some negative feedback for saying this but if you are not already familiar with Lansdale's Hap & Leonard series then this really isn't the one to start with, reason being simply that you'll be cheating yourself. You'll be cheating yourself out of the pleasure of seeing how well these collected stories and novellas capture the evolution of these two brothers of no relation, you'll end up missing some of the more nuanced touches that only a fan can truly appreciate. So go ahead, buy the book - buy it right now - but wait until you've read a few of the full length novels before you dive into this one. You'll thank me later (you're welcome).
*Contains adult content, racial slurs, strong language, and tongue-in-cheek observations on a variety of subjects. Sensitive and easily offended readers should consider themselves warned.
What strikes me the most about this great collection is how much it shows the growth and evolution of the East Texas dynamic duo known as Hap and Leonard. From young guns who are ready to take names and kick butt without breaking a sweat to men of a certain age who now prefer air conditioning and soft beds but still feel compelled to do the right thing even when they know it's probably going to hurt... a lot! The "boys" aren't playing, the consequences and the stakes are serious (even if they, themselves, rarely are).
I'm probably going to get some negative feedback for saying this but if you are not already familiar with Lansdale's Hap & Leonard series then this really isn't the one to start with, reason being simply that you'll be cheating yourself. You'll be cheating yourself out of the pleasure of seeing how well these collected stories and novellas capture the evolution of these two brothers of no relation, you'll end up missing some of the more nuanced touches that only a fan can truly appreciate. So go ahead, buy the book - buy it right now - but wait until you've read a few of the full length novels before you dive into this one. You'll thank me later (you're welcome).
*Contains adult content, racial slurs, strong language, and tongue-in-cheek observations on a variety of subjects. Sensitive and easily offended readers should consider themselves warned.
April 21, 2022
*copy from the publisher in exchange for a review*
Born for Trouble is a collection of novellae and short stories in the universe of Hap and Leonard, issued from the pen of the prolific and always hugely entertaining Joe. R. Lansdale. Those of you who follow this blog on the regular will know that I’ve been a big fan of Hap and Leonard, and their various misadventures, for years. Getting another slice of East Texas mayhem and found-family affection is always a treat. And so it proves here!
I will say that if you’re a fan of the series, this is likely going to hit the spot for you. A newcomer will find it accessible and entertaining too, but might be advised to dig into the larger series as well. But either way, the crux of the thing: what is it, is it well written, do I want to spend money on it?
Lets start at the end. Yes. If you’re looking for more Hap & Leonard, this is going to meet your needs. Opening it up and reading through the stories, filled with warm banter, cold violence and a sense of place that you can feel in your bones…well. It’s like slipping into a pair of comfortable old shoes, which…may also happen to be a little bloodstained.
The stories themselves are, well, delightful, in the way they blend the weird and the prosaic. The way they bring to life a Texan swamp jungle in one breath, filled with predatory animals and people, and in the next ask us to consider the mundane, intimate absurdity of tracking down a lost stuffed dog. Though that one does go somewhere rather unexpected, come to think of it. In any case, they’re the sort of stories I’ve come to these books to read. Filled with a low-key camaraderie from the leads, a kind of low-key simmering energy which makes their loyalties and joy in each other obvious, while also not being afraid to let them run their mouths and give each other crap in an endless game of fat-chewing. Filled with vivid descriptions that manage to ensure that particular neck of Texas feels alive to me, feels real and is unflinching in showing off the horror and the death in it, but the beauty as well.
And the plots have that blend to them as well. From a dead child in a bookmobile, to the aforementioned stuffed dog, to the stalking of a psychologist - there’s no turning away from the reality of crime, or the sordid nature of much of its motivations. But it’s never unfair - you always know as much as the protagonists do, and if you’re as baffled as they are, well, that’s probably just as well.And the stories themselves…well, they’re Lansdale in fine form. Smartly paced, they’ll keep you turning pages. But they’re also clever, twisty, a little dark, sometimes surprisingly poignant, and usually able to elicit some genuine laughter too. Because they’re looking at people, at Hap and Leonard, and also at all the folks around them, their family, their friends, and the psychology of the people and events they’re looking into.
I don’t want to touch too much on the boys themselves here. I will say that Hap and Leonard’s genuine affection for each other, a friendship that seems to have long ago swerved into brotherhood, is palpable on the page. And it makes me happy to see that kind of relationship brought to the fore - two men working side by side, sharing hope and loss and dreams, and managing to do it without being appallingly toxic. They’re good lads, those two, and the heart of every story is the way they know each other. Which isn’t to say there isn’t some shit-talking and some very hurtful remarks about vanilla cookies. But still. It is worth noting that the boys themselves remark on their getting older, and Hap, at least, is starting to feel the effects of the pressure of their adventures - and it’s wonderful to see these stories look unflinchingly at depression, at trauma, at the costs of violence - and do so in a way which still feel real and human.
Which isn’t to say it’s all doom and gloom. Far from it.in the end, these stories are fun. They’ll make you feel, though, and no shame in that, cry and laugh while you try and figure out what the heck is going on, and then nod knowingly when the criminals are revealed or comeuppances are issued.
So, to circle back toi the point I drifted off of up there: what is it? It’s more Hap & Leonard. Is it well written? Yes, yes it is. Should you buy it? Abso-bloody-lutely.
Born for Trouble is a collection of novellae and short stories in the universe of Hap and Leonard, issued from the pen of the prolific and always hugely entertaining Joe. R. Lansdale. Those of you who follow this blog on the regular will know that I’ve been a big fan of Hap and Leonard, and their various misadventures, for years. Getting another slice of East Texas mayhem and found-family affection is always a treat. And so it proves here!
I will say that if you’re a fan of the series, this is likely going to hit the spot for you. A newcomer will find it accessible and entertaining too, but might be advised to dig into the larger series as well. But either way, the crux of the thing: what is it, is it well written, do I want to spend money on it?
Lets start at the end. Yes. If you’re looking for more Hap & Leonard, this is going to meet your needs. Opening it up and reading through the stories, filled with warm banter, cold violence and a sense of place that you can feel in your bones…well. It’s like slipping into a pair of comfortable old shoes, which…may also happen to be a little bloodstained.
The stories themselves are, well, delightful, in the way they blend the weird and the prosaic. The way they bring to life a Texan swamp jungle in one breath, filled with predatory animals and people, and in the next ask us to consider the mundane, intimate absurdity of tracking down a lost stuffed dog. Though that one does go somewhere rather unexpected, come to think of it. In any case, they’re the sort of stories I’ve come to these books to read. Filled with a low-key camaraderie from the leads, a kind of low-key simmering energy which makes their loyalties and joy in each other obvious, while also not being afraid to let them run their mouths and give each other crap in an endless game of fat-chewing. Filled with vivid descriptions that manage to ensure that particular neck of Texas feels alive to me, feels real and is unflinching in showing off the horror and the death in it, but the beauty as well.
And the plots have that blend to them as well. From a dead child in a bookmobile, to the aforementioned stuffed dog, to the stalking of a psychologist - there’s no turning away from the reality of crime, or the sordid nature of much of its motivations. But it’s never unfair - you always know as much as the protagonists do, and if you’re as baffled as they are, well, that’s probably just as well.And the stories themselves…well, they’re Lansdale in fine form. Smartly paced, they’ll keep you turning pages. But they’re also clever, twisty, a little dark, sometimes surprisingly poignant, and usually able to elicit some genuine laughter too. Because they’re looking at people, at Hap and Leonard, and also at all the folks around them, their family, their friends, and the psychology of the people and events they’re looking into.
I don’t want to touch too much on the boys themselves here. I will say that Hap and Leonard’s genuine affection for each other, a friendship that seems to have long ago swerved into brotherhood, is palpable on the page. And it makes me happy to see that kind of relationship brought to the fore - two men working side by side, sharing hope and loss and dreams, and managing to do it without being appallingly toxic. They’re good lads, those two, and the heart of every story is the way they know each other. Which isn’t to say there isn’t some shit-talking and some very hurtful remarks about vanilla cookies. But still. It is worth noting that the boys themselves remark on their getting older, and Hap, at least, is starting to feel the effects of the pressure of their adventures - and it’s wonderful to see these stories look unflinchingly at depression, at trauma, at the costs of violence - and do so in a way which still feel real and human.
Which isn’t to say it’s all doom and gloom. Far from it.in the end, these stories are fun. They’ll make you feel, though, and no shame in that, cry and laugh while you try and figure out what the heck is going on, and then nod knowingly when the criminals are revealed or comeuppances are issued.
So, to circle back toi the point I drifted off of up there: what is it? It’s more Hap & Leonard. Is it well written? Yes, yes it is. Should you buy it? Abso-bloody-lutely.
October 14, 2022
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Born for Trouble is a collection of Hap & Leonard stories by Joe R. Lansdale from 2016-2019. Released 21st March 2022 by Tachyon, it's 310 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.
Hap & Leonard are simply a mighty force of nature. The stories are violent, outlandish, over the top, and hysterically funny (often at the same time and with a suddenness which leaves the reader with whiplash). Lansdale is such a capable writer that I can simply go along for the ride knowing that he knows where we're going and I can just look around and enjoy the scenery. And what scenery it is. There's a real-ness and urgency to the storytelling that *must* be from the writer's stored experiences. He's simply a virtuoso storyteller and I love his work.
These 5 stories are all worthy of the canon. The stories are introduced by the author himself, who even brings his good game to the writing of the foreword.
5 stars. For readers unfamiliar with Hap & Leonard, fair warning - there's graphic, over the top violence and gunplay. They're unapologetically ride-or-die and on a mission. There are also cookies.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Born for Trouble is a collection of Hap & Leonard stories by Joe R. Lansdale from 2016-2019. Released 21st March 2022 by Tachyon, it's 310 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats.
Hap & Leonard are simply a mighty force of nature. The stories are violent, outlandish, over the top, and hysterically funny (often at the same time and with a suddenness which leaves the reader with whiplash). Lansdale is such a capable writer that I can simply go along for the ride knowing that he knows where we're going and I can just look around and enjoy the scenery. And what scenery it is. There's a real-ness and urgency to the storytelling that *must* be from the writer's stored experiences. He's simply a virtuoso storyteller and I love his work.
These 5 stories are all worthy of the canon. The stories are introduced by the author himself, who even brings his good game to the writing of the foreword.
5 stars. For readers unfamiliar with Hap & Leonard, fair warning - there's graphic, over the top violence and gunplay. They're unapologetically ride-or-die and on a mission. There are also cookies.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
December 30, 2021
I would like to thank Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for an advance copy of Born for Trouble, a collection of short novellas featuring PIs Hap Collins and Leonard Pine, set in East Texas.
The book comprises five tales of murder, misdeeds and mayhem where “the boys” solve various crimes, mete out their own justice and go fishing.
There is an ambience to these characters and their adventures that is irreplicable. The humour is occasionally crude and almost always harsh, if not downright black, but it’s authentic and very funny. Then there are the characters, Leonard is the only gay, black, Republican vet that Hap knows and while Hap comes across as a good ole boy he is actually a liberal with a love of reading. No need for stereotypes with this strong characterisation.
The stories are fun. They are well constructed and varied in their themes, although they inevitably end with Hap and Leonard spending time in the cells while law enforcement sort out their story. I don’t imagine that this shorter form is easy to write with so much to cram into a smaller space and yet the author makes it look easy. There is plenty of meat on the bones in the plots, they are imaginative and full of both action and humour. Equally, they are well paced with enough build up to hold the reader’s attention.
Born for Trouble is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
The book comprises five tales of murder, misdeeds and mayhem where “the boys” solve various crimes, mete out their own justice and go fishing.
There is an ambience to these characters and their adventures that is irreplicable. The humour is occasionally crude and almost always harsh, if not downright black, but it’s authentic and very funny. Then there are the characters, Leonard is the only gay, black, Republican vet that Hap knows and while Hap comes across as a good ole boy he is actually a liberal with a love of reading. No need for stereotypes with this strong characterisation.
The stories are fun. They are well constructed and varied in their themes, although they inevitably end with Hap and Leonard spending time in the cells while law enforcement sort out their story. I don’t imagine that this shorter form is easy to write with so much to cram into a smaller space and yet the author makes it look easy. There is plenty of meat on the bones in the plots, they are imaginative and full of both action and humour. Equally, they are well paced with enough build up to hold the reader’s attention.
Born for Trouble is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
June 11, 2022
A collection of mini stories or novellas in one book and a heartfelt in memory of for Michael K. Williams, who played Leonard and who I can only picture as Leonard forever more.
Coco Butternut:
They’re paid to go pick up a mummified dog that the owner was being blackmailed for. But knowing their luck stumble onto a murder who we’re buried underneath the dogs.
Hoodoo Harry:
A missing bookmobile crashes and kid driving dies. Opening up buried secrets and more bodies.
Sad Onions:
A damsel in distressed turns out to be a fake when there is a murder plot to cash out in the insurance money. Who goes out of their jurisdiction to thank someone for an idea they had about the crash. The guilty ones of course.
The Briar Patch Boogie:
Starting as a funny story about them going camping and fishing. Just being miserable for the sake of being miserable about the poor choices with the fishing/cabin/camping trip and acting like friends do to each other. Turns into them finding a woman who was being hunted by some bad people. And Hap and Leonard get caught and end up becoming the rabbit in the briar patch.
Cold Cotton:
A well off family are murdered after they hire Hap and Leonard because they were being threatened. Some people found out about some jewelry and we’re going to pawn it off to a fence before the place went up in flames and Hap was having little Hap issues.
Coco Butternut:
They’re paid to go pick up a mummified dog that the owner was being blackmailed for. But knowing their luck stumble onto a murder who we’re buried underneath the dogs.
Hoodoo Harry:
A missing bookmobile crashes and kid driving dies. Opening up buried secrets and more bodies.
Sad Onions:
A damsel in distressed turns out to be a fake when there is a murder plot to cash out in the insurance money. Who goes out of their jurisdiction to thank someone for an idea they had about the crash. The guilty ones of course.
The Briar Patch Boogie:
Starting as a funny story about them going camping and fishing. Just being miserable for the sake of being miserable about the poor choices with the fishing/cabin/camping trip and acting like friends do to each other. Turns into them finding a woman who was being hunted by some bad people. And Hap and Leonard get caught and end up becoming the rabbit in the briar patch.
Cold Cotton:
A well off family are murdered after they hire Hap and Leonard because they were being threatened. Some people found out about some jewelry and we’re going to pawn it off to a fence before the place went up in flames and Hap was having little Hap issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2022
I received a free copy of this book from Tachyon Publications in exchange for an honest review.
Hap, baby, it's been a while.
Born for Trouble contains five previously-published stories, updated and reprinted together in one collection. The stories get back to brass tacks: the boys investigate crimes, mysteries and random wrongdoings, rather than meandering down memory lane as they did in Of Mice and Minestrone. The mysteries are mysterious, the violence violent, but the brotherhood between Hap and Leonard endures.
It's been a while since I've read a Hap & Leonard, and it took me a few chapters to settle in to the narrative style. Hap's voice is simple, bare bones peppered with dry witticisms, exactly like you're sitting in the boat / car / jail cell with him and Leonard. Which, as Chance knows, is exactly the place to be. The stories are short and sharp, with enough laughs to ward off the sleazy nastiness roiling underneath.
Returning to East Texas always toes the line between the heartwarming and the unsettling. The love between Hap and Leonard shines bright against the darkest darkness and Born for Trouble is no different.
Hap, baby, it's been a while.
Born for Trouble contains five previously-published stories, updated and reprinted together in one collection. The stories get back to brass tacks: the boys investigate crimes, mysteries and random wrongdoings, rather than meandering down memory lane as they did in Of Mice and Minestrone. The mysteries are mysterious, the violence violent, but the brotherhood between Hap and Leonard endures.
It's been a while since I've read a Hap & Leonard, and it took me a few chapters to settle in to the narrative style. Hap's voice is simple, bare bones peppered with dry witticisms, exactly like you're sitting in the boat / car / jail cell with him and Leonard. Which, as Chance knows, is exactly the place to be. The stories are short and sharp, with enough laughs to ward off the sleazy nastiness roiling underneath.
Returning to East Texas always toes the line between the heartwarming and the unsettling. The love between Hap and Leonard shines bright against the darkest darkness and Born for Trouble is no different.
March 19, 2022
If you're already familiar with Hap & Leonard like I am, this new collection of their adventures delivers EXACTLY you expect. Nothing more. Nothing less. This is a work of precision from a writers who has mastered both the form and the creative idiom he's working with.
For the uninitiated: what makes Hap & Leonard so unique and enjoyable exactly? Well, they're two lifelong friends who just investigate weird and quirky crimes because they live in Texas and when you live in Texas, you don't need to be a law enforcement professional to investigate anything. Born for Trouble more than delivers in terms of weird & quirky crimes. We got: a dead dog's kidnapping, a murder that happened in a car that had disappeared for 15 years, a therapist being blackmailed and whatnot.
What's so cool with these two protagonists also is the range Joe Lansdale displays with them. They can go from knee-slapping funny to tragic in a heartbeat. Their paradigm doesn't feel quite realistic enough for them to be Moving with a capital M, but Hap & Leonard are like old friends who live on their own terms. It's a good time whenever you see them. They deliver what they deliver and then go on their merry way.
For the uninitiated: what makes Hap & Leonard so unique and enjoyable exactly? Well, they're two lifelong friends who just investigate weird and quirky crimes because they live in Texas and when you live in Texas, you don't need to be a law enforcement professional to investigate anything. Born for Trouble more than delivers in terms of weird & quirky crimes. We got: a dead dog's kidnapping, a murder that happened in a car that had disappeared for 15 years, a therapist being blackmailed and whatnot.
What's so cool with these two protagonists also is the range Joe Lansdale displays with them. They can go from knee-slapping funny to tragic in a heartbeat. Their paradigm doesn't feel quite realistic enough for them to be Moving with a capital M, but Hap & Leonard are like old friends who live on their own terms. It's a good time whenever you see them. They deliver what they deliver and then go on their merry way.
November 22, 2023
BORN FOR TROUBLE: THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF HAP & LEONARD – Short Story Collection – by Joe R. Lansdale
‘In these latest adventures, the boys [Hap Collins & Leonard Pine] continue their crime-solving shenanigans as they uncover the sordid secret of a missing bookmobile, compete in a warped version of the Most Dangerous Game, regroup after Hap’s visit to the psychologist goes terribly awry, and much more. So sit yourself back and settle in—Born for Trouble is East Texas mayhem as only the master mojo storyteller Lansdale could possibly tell.’
‘Coco Butternut’ – That was good
‘Hoodoo Harry’ – My Heart!
The nostalgia of a Bookmobile somehow tied into a whodunit murder mystery with no shortage of suspects, you say? Yes, Please!
‘Sad Onions’ – That was good, with an ending I didn’t expect.
‘The Briar Patch Boogie’ – Whoa, Creepy Good!
‘Cold Cotton’ – A whole lot of creepy in the beginning, with a VERY Hot Ending! ;)
Thank you, NetGalley and Tachyon Publications LLC, for providing me with an eBook of BORN FOR TROUBLE at the request of an honest review.
‘In these latest adventures, the boys [Hap Collins & Leonard Pine] continue their crime-solving shenanigans as they uncover the sordid secret of a missing bookmobile, compete in a warped version of the Most Dangerous Game, regroup after Hap’s visit to the psychologist goes terribly awry, and much more. So sit yourself back and settle in—Born for Trouble is East Texas mayhem as only the master mojo storyteller Lansdale could possibly tell.’
‘Coco Butternut’ – That was good
‘Hoodoo Harry’ – My Heart!
The nostalgia of a Bookmobile somehow tied into a whodunit murder mystery with no shortage of suspects, you say? Yes, Please!
‘Sad Onions’ – That was good, with an ending I didn’t expect.
‘The Briar Patch Boogie’ – Whoa, Creepy Good!
‘Cold Cotton’ – A whole lot of creepy in the beginning, with a VERY Hot Ending! ;)
Thank you, NetGalley and Tachyon Publications LLC, for providing me with an eBook of BORN FOR TROUBLE at the request of an honest review.
June 1, 2025
While I have read and enjoyed other books by Jone R. Lansdale, this was my first time in the world of his signature characters, Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. This odd couple of Texas detectives have always had a loyal following. Now I can see why. They are good company whether solving a crime or just sitting around bickering.
This book is a collection of stories about the sleuths. Hap, a white redneck liberal with a lawyer girlfriend, and Leonard, a black gay Republican, find plenty to ridicule each other over. When they find themselves on a case or in trouble of some kind, their bickering does not stop them from working as a team. The stories in this book find them investigating bookmobiles, a psychologist and even get caught in a variation on the most dangerous game. Much like Alfred Hitchcock movies, the plot matters little (although they are consistently well-done). Rather, the point is to enjoy Hap and Leonard work together. I'm looking forward to reading more of their adventures.
This book is a collection of stories about the sleuths. Hap, a white redneck liberal with a lawyer girlfriend, and Leonard, a black gay Republican, find plenty to ridicule each other over. When they find themselves on a case or in trouble of some kind, their bickering does not stop them from working as a team. The stories in this book find them investigating bookmobiles, a psychologist and even get caught in a variation on the most dangerous game. Much like Alfred Hitchcock movies, the plot matters little (although they are consistently well-done). Rather, the point is to enjoy Hap and Leonard work together. I'm looking forward to reading more of their adventures.
November 1, 2021
Haven't read any of the previous installments in this series before, but I clearly didn't need to — these are straightforward stories and straightforward men walking through very dark but highly self-contained crime dramas, with all the accessibility and clarity of an Elmore Leonard novel. The sadism in some of these stories threw me a bit — the titular boys aren't investigating simple murders, they're cases of child-torture, gang rape, men bow-hunting women for sport in the woods, people being stalked and terrorized and tortured to death in their own homes. There's so much ugliness happening in such a small area, it's enough to bring the humanity in this world into question. But these characters were drawn uniquely enough to get me curious and not only keep me coming back, but to lure me into checking out the TV adaptation on Netflix, with the late, great, lamented Michael K. Williams as Leonard.
May 7, 2022
A collection of longer form short fiction, featuring Hap and Leonard, Born for Trouble includes:
“Coco Butternut”: a rich man hires Hap and Leonard to do a ransom exchange: an exorbitant amount of cash for his dog’s mummified remains. What begins as a simple (if weird) case spirals into blackmail and murder.
“Sad Onions”: An elderly Black entrepreneur, who successfully marketed a dehydrated vegetable snack, is killed in an apparent car accident. Was his young white wife responsible?
“Hoodoo Harry”: Hap and Leonard are drawn into a case involving the mysterious disappearance of children and a library van driver, known as ‘Hoodoo Harry’ in a Black town in Texas.
“The Briar Patch Boogie”: In the woods, along the TX and LA border, Hap and Leonard are hunted for sport by a pair of psychopathic killers.
“Cold Cotton”: A successful therapist with a checkered past hires Hap & Leonard as bodyguards, after receiving threatening poison pen letters. Then dismisses them prematurely…
“Coco Butternut”: a rich man hires Hap and Leonard to do a ransom exchange: an exorbitant amount of cash for his dog’s mummified remains. What begins as a simple (if weird) case spirals into blackmail and murder.
“Sad Onions”: An elderly Black entrepreneur, who successfully marketed a dehydrated vegetable snack, is killed in an apparent car accident. Was his young white wife responsible?
“Hoodoo Harry”: Hap and Leonard are drawn into a case involving the mysterious disappearance of children and a library van driver, known as ‘Hoodoo Harry’ in a Black town in Texas.
“The Briar Patch Boogie”: In the woods, along the TX and LA border, Hap and Leonard are hunted for sport by a pair of psychopathic killers.
“Cold Cotton”: A successful therapist with a checkered past hires Hap & Leonard as bodyguards, after receiving threatening poison pen letters. Then dismisses them prematurely…
December 31, 2021
Hap and Leonard return in this excellent collection of novellas. The boys (and Hap's wife Brett and daughter Chance) get caught up in several murder mysteries, all with the action, wit and adventure that is to be expected. I've read all these stories before, but they were fun to read again, like visiting old friends. And these tales work really well together as a coherent narrative from beginning to end. The dialog is laugh out loud funny, the action is sharp, the plots are smart. Anyone who knows Hap and Leonard from the novels will genuinely appreciate this book, and it could also serve as a good introduction to the characters for new readers. I'd give this more than 5 stars if I could. Highly recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Tachyon Publications, and my favorite author Joe R. Lansdale for providing an advance reader copy to review.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Tachyon Publications, and my favorite author Joe R. Lansdale for providing an advance reader copy to review.
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