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Carl Webster #3
Comfort To The Enemy
A trio of short stories featuring legendary lawman Carl Webster - star of THE HOT KID. 1940s' Oklahoma. Germans in a stateside POW camp have murdered one of their own and US Marshal Carl Webster, back from a tour of duty in the Pacific, is called in to investigate. Among others, he comes across a Jewish gangster bent on revenge for the Holocaust; a rodeo bull rider turned lawman; and a former Nazi guard who is a persistent runaway. Befriending the escapee, Carl becomes embroiled in a tale of gangsters' molls, enemy lines, espionage, double-crossing and a lovers' wartime promise that could to more trouble than he ever imagined...
182 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
115 people are currently reading
489 people want to read
About the author
Elmore Leonard
211 books3,701 followersElmore John Leonard lived in Dallas, Oklahoma City and Memphis before settling in Detroit in 1935. After serving in the navy, he studied English literature at the University of Detroit where he entered a short story competition. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.
Father of Peter Leonard.
Father of Peter Leonard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
November 16, 2024
Leonard left us with three books about the greatest United States Marshal, "The Hot Kid, Carl Webster. These tales take us back to the era of Bonnie and Clyde and Pretty Boy Floyd. It's the depression and the war years and out in the wild lands of Oklahoma, there's a kid grown up who believes in tracking down his man and bringing them to justice. He's also a helluva quick draw.
The first two stories are reprised from "The Hot Kid," and tell the story of a young Carl Webster, all of fifteen years and just popping into the pharmacy for an ice cream only to encounter a bank robber. Years later, Carl brings that very same man to justice.
Another tale is about Louly, whose cousin married Pretty Boy Floyd. Ensnared by his charm, she starts a letter writing campaign to his prison and ends up penpals with another inmate. She becomes a gun moll, robbing people who haven't got much to begin with ending up with Carl on their trail.
The final novelette here is about a POW camp in Oklahoma housing German prisoners captured in the North African campaign. This story firmly plants Carl and Louly in the wartime era and drags together a lot of elements from other Carl Webster stories.
All of these stories have a firm sense of time and place. You really feel as if you've taken a time machine back to that period.
The first two stories are reprised from "The Hot Kid," and tell the story of a young Carl Webster, all of fifteen years and just popping into the pharmacy for an ice cream only to encounter a bank robber. Years later, Carl brings that very same man to justice.
Another tale is about Louly, whose cousin married Pretty Boy Floyd. Ensnared by his charm, she starts a letter writing campaign to his prison and ends up penpals with another inmate. She becomes a gun moll, robbing people who haven't got much to begin with ending up with Carl on their trail.
The final novelette here is about a POW camp in Oklahoma housing German prisoners captured in the North African campaign. This story firmly plants Carl and Louly in the wartime era and drags together a lot of elements from other Carl Webster stories.
All of these stories have a firm sense of time and place. You really feel as if you've taken a time machine back to that period.
November 20, 2011
Comfort to the Enemy is a collection of two short stories and Comfort To The Enemy novella starring Carl Webster. The two short stories, "Showdown at Checotah" and "Louly and Pretty Boy" became parts of the novel, The Hot Kid.
Deputy Marshal Carlos "Carl" Webster is one of my favourite characters written by Leonard. I have read The Hot Kid so the first two stories was old news but the novella of the title was worth my time. Carl is investigating a death in a POW Camp for German soldiers in Oklahoma. I like how it was a character study than crime novel, crime plot. The crime was solved like an afterthought. It dealt with many characters that were very believable as people for a novella. Also dealt with serious issue like the idea that German prisoners of war in US in 1944 might not be like the Nazi mass murderers as people assume.
As usual Elmore Leonard wrote dialogue that was serious,quirky like few writers can, every minor character was dealt with as carefully, smoothly as major characters like the lead hero. I have read some of his 70s,80s,90s novels,stories and his writing in this collection, other 2000s books are his best writing, he is still in the top of his game. I cant say the same about many other great writers with long careers.
Deputy Marshal Carlos "Carl" Webster is one of my favourite characters written by Leonard. I have read The Hot Kid so the first two stories was old news but the novella of the title was worth my time. Carl is investigating a death in a POW Camp for German soldiers in Oklahoma. I like how it was a character study than crime novel, crime plot. The crime was solved like an afterthought. It dealt with many characters that were very believable as people for a novella. Also dealt with serious issue like the idea that German prisoners of war in US in 1944 might not be like the Nazi mass murderers as people assume.
As usual Elmore Leonard wrote dialogue that was serious,quirky like few writers can, every minor character was dealt with as carefully, smoothly as major characters like the lead hero. I have read some of his 70s,80s,90s novels,stories and his writing in this collection, other 2000s books are his best writing, he is still in the top of his game. I cant say the same about many other great writers with long careers.
October 12, 2010
Thanks to the publisher and goodreads for the advanced reading copy.
Comfort to the Enemy is a collection of two short stories and the eponymous novella starring Carl Webster. The two short stories, "Showdown at Checotah" and "Louly and Pretty Boy" also appear in the book, The Hot Kid.
I've known about Elmore Leonard, having seen the movies Get Shorty and Out of Sight and having loved the tv show Justified. But I never got around to reading his work until now.
As expected, Leonard's got style and every character is just cool, cool, cool. Carl Webster reminds me of Raylan Givens of a different era.
I preferred the two short stories over the novella, as I like the cowboy marshal hunting down or meeting bank robbers more so than solving a murder revolving around Nazis. A lot of the mystery solving also involved longer-than-usual and therefore less-spunky dialogue, which diluted what was supposed to be Leonard's forte.
I'm not sure if this collection is meant to satiate existing fans of Carl Webster or to entice new readers to read the Carl Webster novels The Hot Kid and Up in Honey's Room. As a new reader, I'd say this book successfully piqued my interest in Leonard's other books, even if the novella contained herein was less than perfect.
Comfort to the Enemy is a collection of two short stories and the eponymous novella starring Carl Webster. The two short stories, "Showdown at Checotah" and "Louly and Pretty Boy" also appear in the book, The Hot Kid.
I've known about Elmore Leonard, having seen the movies Get Shorty and Out of Sight and having loved the tv show Justified. But I never got around to reading his work until now.
As expected, Leonard's got style and every character is just cool, cool, cool. Carl Webster reminds me of Raylan Givens of a different era.
I preferred the two short stories over the novella, as I like the cowboy marshal hunting down or meeting bank robbers more so than solving a murder revolving around Nazis. A lot of the mystery solving also involved longer-than-usual and therefore less-spunky dialogue, which diluted what was supposed to be Leonard's forte.
I'm not sure if this collection is meant to satiate existing fans of Carl Webster or to entice new readers to read the Carl Webster novels The Hot Kid and Up in Honey's Room. As a new reader, I'd say this book successfully piqued my interest in Leonard's other books, even if the novella contained herein was less than perfect.
October 10, 2010
I love Elmore Leonard's writing and this book did not disappoint. Good stories written in that tough, charming way that Leonard has perfected. It's full of characters you may already know and love from other Carl Webster stories.
I won my copy through First Reads.
I won my copy through First Reads.
January 25, 2025
This collection of 3 stories about US Marshal Carl Webster is a fun read with the usual great Elmore Leonard dialogue. It is a bonus for me in that it takes place in Oklahoma where I grew up, so the names of the small towns are familiar to me. The first story depicts how the main character’s name changes from Carlos to Carl. We also see his incredible marksmanship even as a 15 year old when he is first introduced to a real US Marshal and decides that is what he wants to do when he gets older. Leonard captures the racism a boy is exposed to. Carlos also meets a real life bank robber. The second story depicts a girl who becomes fascinated with and follows the life of that same bank robber, Pretty Boy Floyd. The longest story, Comfort to the Enemy, takes a little bit to get moving. It moves ahead 20 years. Oklahoma has a military base that holds POW’s, captured German soldiers from WWII. Jurgen is a German who periodically escapes, and then a few days later gives himself up and is brought back to the base. Leonard seems to ask how responsible are German soldiers for the atrocities of the Nazis and are German soldiers who fought in the war different from the Nazi’s. He also shows how average Americans can not believe what was happening to the Jews in Europe. US Marshal Carl Webster is called in to investigate the death of an inmate. He then decides to determine where Jurgen goes when he escapes and what he is up to. Leonard shows how a Marshal has the power to distinguish between who are the real bad guys and who are people who make a mistake and are not real, hardened criminals. Throw in a Jewish gangster from Kansas City and you have a real adventure. In the end we see just how good a US Marshal Carl Webster is.
March 11, 2017
4,5/5
April 20, 2020
Very enjoyable, typical Elmore Leonard. If you liked "The Hot Kid" and/or "Up in Honey's Room", this slim volume is worth a read. The title story, the longest of the three herein, fills us in on the German POWs that feature in "Honey". The shorter two tales do retread some familiar ground--they read like somewhat rough drafts of the more fleshed-out "Hot Kid". Still, they're brisk & well-done, & add a bit more flavor.
About a year ago I decided to read or re-read all of Elmore Leonard's fiction. I started with "Pronto", re-reading the first Elmore Leonard novel I'd ever read, way back in the 1990s. Finishing "Comfort to the Enemy" last night brought my project to a close, & I've enjoyed every bit of it.
If you've never read one of Elmore Leonard's novels, I highly recommend it. His ear for dialog is famous, & rightly so, his characters are memorable, & his plotting is always well-paced & light on its feet. If you've seen & enjoyed films like "Hombre", "Jackie Brown", "Get Shorty", or "Out of Sight", their novels would be a good place to start.
About a year ago I decided to read or re-read all of Elmore Leonard's fiction. I started with "Pronto", re-reading the first Elmore Leonard novel I'd ever read, way back in the 1990s. Finishing "Comfort to the Enemy" last night brought my project to a close, & I've enjoyed every bit of it.
If you've never read one of Elmore Leonard's novels, I highly recommend it. His ear for dialog is famous, & rightly so, his characters are memorable, & his plotting is always well-paced & light on its feet. If you've seen & enjoyed films like "Hombre", "Jackie Brown", "Get Shorty", or "Out of Sight", their novels would be a good place to start.
April 12, 2021
If you've read the previously published Carl Webster stories, only the main novella "Comfort to the Enemy" is of any interest here. The other two stories are Carl's first run-in with a criminal at the drug store (turned into the opening chapters of Hot Kid), and "Louly and Pretty Boy", Louly's origin story also pretty much featured wholesale in Hot Kid.
The new content (aka just "Comfort") is good solid Leonard casual crime writing, but I just can't get over how essential it is for Up in Honey's Room, the novel that is set chronologically after this one, but published two years before this collection.
You can't have two sort-of sympathetic nazis (!!) one of whom an actual SS guy (!!!) and then just do a half-ass recap in terms of groundwork -- Comfort is totally required reading to make Up in Honey's Room work.
I like that Carl is kinda a half-ass marshal who lets people slip away if he likes them well enough. Also a big fan of Louly being sympathetic and not judgmental to Shemane who is a sexy femme fatale who put the moves on her husband. That's nice!
The new content (aka just "Comfort") is good solid Leonard casual crime writing, but I just can't get over how essential it is for Up in Honey's Room, the novel that is set chronologically after this one, but published two years before this collection.
You can't have two sort-of sympathetic nazis (!!) one of whom an actual SS guy (!!!) and then just do a half-ass recap in terms of groundwork -- Comfort is totally required reading to make Up in Honey's Room work.
I like that Carl is kinda a half-ass marshal who lets people slip away if he likes them well enough. Also a big fan of Louly being sympathetic and not judgmental to Shemane who is a sexy femme fatale who put the moves on her husband. That's nice!
January 17, 2018
Two short stories and a novella filling in some of the backstory for Leonard’s ‘Hot Kid’ the impossibly quick-drawing, as happy killing villains as he is chatting to them, Carl(os) Webster, this collection isn’t classic Elmore Leonard but still a fine example of his dialogue-heavy, detail-rich historical fiction.
In the first story, 'Showdown at Checotah', young Carl is witness to an armed robbery/murder. In the second, 'Louly and Pretty Boy' he's chasing after bank robbers and meeting his future wife. In the titular novella he's investigating the murder of a German POW.
All three are skilfully crafted, absorbing stories featuring a fascinating character in three distinct phases of his life. I'm probably going to have to go and read the other Webster books now. Elmore Leonard can be addictive, you know.
In the first story, 'Showdown at Checotah', young Carl is witness to an armed robbery/murder. In the second, 'Louly and Pretty Boy' he's chasing after bank robbers and meeting his future wife. In the titular novella he's investigating the murder of a German POW.
All three are skilfully crafted, absorbing stories featuring a fascinating character in three distinct phases of his life. I'm probably going to have to go and read the other Webster books now. Elmore Leonard can be addictive, you know.
August 3, 2019
Comfort To The Enemy, de Elmore Leonard, consiste en una novela corta y dos relatos ambientados en los años 40 y protagonizados por Carl Webster, un marshall muy... expeditivo https://amzn.to/2Yp0RBm Es la típica obra de Leonard: diálogos afilados, siempre en movimiento, todo carisma, una trama que es lo de menos.
Carl Webster es una especie de Raylan Givens (el de Justified) pero con algo menos de interés para mí quizá. Un tío duro, ingenioso, que siempre que desenfunda dispara. Un vaquero en una época en la que ya no hay vaqueros. La obra, como siempre pasa con Elmore Leonard, es entretenida, pero no es de sus mejores. Aún así muy buen material de hamaca.
Carl Webster es una especie de Raylan Givens (el de Justified) pero con algo menos de interés para mí quizá. Un tío duro, ingenioso, que siempre que desenfunda dispara. Un vaquero en una época en la que ya no hay vaqueros. La obra, como siempre pasa con Elmore Leonard, es entretenida, pero no es de sus mejores. Aún así muy buen material de hamaca.
April 26, 2018
Even minor Elmore Leonard is a great treat and that is the best way to describe this trio of stories about Carl Webster, the young U.S. Marshal of his novels The Hot Kid and Up in Honey's Room. Here he shows he has the cool confidence we expect of Dutch Leonard's heroes. He deals with 1930s gangsters and investigates a murder at a German POW camp in Oklahoma. All the excellent dialogue and fascinating villains we Leonard fans look for are here as well. A nice diversion for anyone suffering from the fact that there will be no new Leonard novels.
January 11, 2022
If I were still teaching college history, I think the title short story would be a wonderful tool to spark discussion of the domestic situation in America during World War II. I think it would be interesting for the students while surely raising questions they would likely want answered. I suppose this is an unusual way to start a review of a collection, which I enjoyed. Leonard was a good storyteller and created compelling characters, Carl Webster among them. He and Raylan would have gotten along.
December 28, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up. Three short stories about US Marshal Carl Webster of Leonard’s novels The Hot Kid and Up in Honey’s Room, both of which feature a lot of the material in these stories as backstory or exposition. The third story, “Comfort to the Enemy,” is very loosely plotted and inconclusive and functions more like a prologue to Up in Honey’s Room—explaining why Carl is on a manhunt for a German POW in Detroit—than a standalone novella. Still briskly written and entertaining, though.
June 8, 2018
This collection of short stories is OK, but it is far from Elmore Leonard's best work. There are 2 fairly short stories and then a much longer one. All of them feature Carl Webster and other characters in his world. I read the first two some weeks ago and then came back to the book after traveling for a couple of weeks. Dialogue was always Leonard's strength, but some of the exchanges in this book do not seem especially realistic.
August 22, 2019
God Help Us Showoffs
The one thing I really appreciate is the dialogue between all of the characters. Elmore Leonard develops his characters to be the working man. They and their flaws shine and jump off the page.
Whether i enjoy the book or not I will continue reading his books just to act as voyeur and live vicariously through his stories.
Good guys and bad guys the appeal is real.
The one thing I really appreciate is the dialogue between all of the characters. Elmore Leonard develops his characters to be the working man. They and their flaws shine and jump off the page.
Whether i enjoy the book or not I will continue reading his books just to act as voyeur and live vicariously through his stories.
Good guys and bad guys the appeal is real.
May 10, 2019
The worst Elmore Leonard audiobook ever. So sad that someone made the choice to get another narrator for the 3rd Carl Webster book. The first story was already in one of the Hot Kid books (#1) and the second story isn’t worth reading, in my opinion. Sub-par Elmore writing, but still would have been ok with another narrator
August 18, 2019
On the Carl Webster timeline, the novella happens before 'Up in Honey's Room', the second novel. I, however, didn't know this (and it was published at a later point far as I know) so I read it out of sequence.
It's always good to read Elmore Leonard, but in comparison to above mentioned novel this feels like a warm-up exercise. Not bad, but not great.
It's always good to read Elmore Leonard, but in comparison to above mentioned novel this feels like a warm-up exercise. Not bad, but not great.
December 18, 2019
took me a little while to click with the writing style, that it's meant to be read in the vein of Sam Elliott telling you a story. for technical reasons i can't sensibly explain, i ended up reading the novella before the two preceding short stories, but it worked fairly well that way round too.
there was maybe a few too many subplots and secondary characters for such a short novella
there was maybe a few too many subplots and secondary characters for such a short novella
February 22, 2022
This is a collection of three stories, two of them short. Carl Webster, the hot shot Federal marshal, is in two of them. The stories are typical Leonard tales though the longer one does not have a lot of conversation, which is usually something Leonard uses to push along the story.
All in all, good stories.
[FLORIDA!]
All in all, good stories.
[FLORIDA!]
June 20, 2018
This author was recommended to me after I let slip that I was a huge Raymond Chandler fan (have read all of his books several times). For me there is no comparison. I found this one hard work, confusing and difficult to follow in places. I did finish it but it was a struggle.
December 11, 2020
Typical Elmore Leonard
This book was originally published as "The Hot Kid"! They have tied them all together in one long story. The action is fast and the plots build on one another! It reads pretty fast!
This book was originally published as "The Hot Kid"! They have tied them all together in one long story. The action is fast and the plots build on one another! It reads pretty fast!
April 7, 2023
WWII story about a hero doing his part for the USA. Lots of info about Nazi prisoners I did not know. EL books have; sexually intimate descriptions, profanity (scarce), and other possibly off putting things. Nice but softly narrated ( may help to have separate speakers). ⭐️⭐️⭐️🔅
August 24, 2018
Great short stories plus one great novella, containing some of the best dialogue I've come across.
October 26, 2018
Marshall Carl Webster tracks a Nazi P.O.W. who keeps escaping
October 3, 2019
All Hail Elmore Leonard!
July 7, 2020
About 1/3 of the book is from Hot Kid, the new part "Comfort to the Enemy" was a delight.
Read
September 8, 2021I always go back to Leonard when I want some no-nonsense writing.
December 23, 2022
If you've read The Hot Kid already, then skip the first two stories here, as they're part of that. The third story, about German POWs is pretty good though.
January 30, 2023
I enjoyed the series of Carl Webster books in the Elmore Leonard library. I think I will knock all 45 out someday. This one has Carl and his dad Virgil fighting POW camp run- away in Oklahoma.
November 17, 2023
I stopped reading,I first had to read the hot kid.
And I didn't know it was a short story book.
I will read this book in parts .
And I didn't know it was a short story book.
I will read this book in parts .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews