From America's top writer of hardboiled crime, the novel that became Tarantino's hit film JACKIE BROWN Jackie, a flight attendant with a serious side hustle, is about to get grounded... She's just got busted smuggling large amounts of hot money on the Caribbean-Florida run, and now the Feds are pressuring her to turn informant - but Ordell Robbie, the highly dysfunctional arms-dealer she works for, is not getting any more functional. With the help of disillusioned bail bondsman Max Cherry, could she outsmart her pursuers ...
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From America's top writer of hardboiled crime, the novel that became Tarantino's hit film JACKIE BROWN Jackie, a flight attendant with a serious side hustle, is about to get grounded... She's just got busted smuggling large amounts of hot money on the Caribbean-Florida run, and now the Feds are pressuring her to turn informant - but Ordell Robbie, the highly dysfunctional arms-dealer she works for, is not getting any more functional. With the help of disillusioned bail bondsman Max Cherry, could she outsmart her pursuers and walk away from the whole wreckage, happy and rich in the process? In a high-stakes game of risk, whose rum has the hardest punch?
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Add this copy of Rum Punch to cart. $4.99, very good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1993 by Penguin Books Ltd.
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Very good. Simply Brit welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Add this copy of Rum Punch to cart. $4.99, good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2012 by Phoenix.
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Good. Simply Brit welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Add this copy of Rum Punch to cart. $6.56, very good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1993 by Penguin Books Ltd.
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Very good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
Add this copy of Rum Punch to cart. $6.65, good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1993 by Penguin Books Ltd.
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Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
Add this copy of Rum Punch to cart. $12.55, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2025 by Penguin Classics.
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Fine. B-format paperback. Penguin Modern Classics - Crime & Espionage . In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Rum Punch to cart. $12.63, new condition, Sold by Kennys.ie rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, IRELAND, published 2025 by Penguin Classics.
Add this copy of Rum Punch to cart. $12.75, new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2025 by Penguin Classics.
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New. B-format paperback. Penguin Modern Classics - Crime & Espionage . In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Add this copy of Rum Punch to cart. $14.57, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2011 by Mariner Books.
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Add this copy of Rum Punch: a Novel to cart. $17.05, good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2011 by Mariner Books.
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Elmore Leonard's novel "Rum Punch" (1992) tells a tangled tale of crime, violence and double-crossing written in a punchy style with sharp dialogue. The plot is confusing to follow at first, but it works out. Most of the story is set in West Palm Beach, Florida; but the setting is not the primary focus of the book. The main interest of the work lies in the snappy writing and in the characters and their relationships.
While the book is full of sexual scenes and of comments about women, the primary character is Jackie Burke, 44, a flight attendant for a cut-rate airline flying from Florida to the Bahamas. Jackie has been smuggling large sums of dirty money from the Bahamas to Florida derived from the illegal weapons trade. On one eventful trip, she is caught by Florida and Federal law enforcement agents. Jackie is eager to stay out of prison and wants to live through mid-life and beyond in comfort. She is thrice divorced. Jackie works both sides of the fence with law enforcement to stay out of prison and with a group of hard, violent criminals to play them off against each other and to try for a stash of cash. She is a tough, sharp no-nonsense woman in this novel.
When Jackie is first arraigned, she needs the services of a bail bondsman. Max Cherry, 57, has been in the trade for years but is growing tired of it, particularly because his business has been infiltrated by criminal elements. Cherry has long been separated from his artsy-craftsy wife but continues to give her money. When Jackie is bailed out by Ordell Robbie, a hardened criminal in his 40s involved in illegal arms and drugs, she is in danger of her life due to Robbie's fear that she will turn. Max becomes interested in Jackie and becomes involved in her difficult balancing act to save her life, stay out of jail, and walk off with some of a $500,000 stash.
The gritty story builds in tension and complexity with many acts of violence and many twists and turns as the cops, the crooks, and Jackie devise plots and counter -plots to get the money. The story also manages to show human situations, including the feelings of purposelessness expressed by many characters as they age. More than once, a character states that he doesn't know what he wants from life. The relationships of the crooks with each other and of law enforcement with each other also is explored. The developing relationship between Jackie and Max also is worked in to what otherwise would be a brittle, complex story of various groups trying to walk off with a heist.
"Rum Punch" is a fast-moving book which works as effective crime fiction and as writing with its characterization and style. The book was filmed by Quentin Tarrantino under the title "Jackie Brown". The Library of America, which aims to publish the best in American literature, has included "Rum Punch" in its three volume collection of crime novels by Elmore Leonard. It is valuable to see the breadth of American literature, including its tradition of crime writing. Leonard's writing is worth getting to know.
