The Switch

By: Elmore Leonard

Narrated by: Mark Hammer

Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Ordell Robbie and Louis Gara hit it off in prison, where they were both doing time for grand theft auto. Now that they're out, they're joining forces for one big score. The plan is to kidnap the wife of a wealthy Detroit developer and hold her for ransom. But they didn't figure the lowlife husband wouldn't want his lady back. So it's time for Plan B and the opportunity to make a real killing - with the unlikely help of a beautiful, ticked-off housewife who's hungry for a large helping of sweet revenge.

©1978 Elmore Leonard (P)1997 Recorded Books Inc.

Trick or treat, Mama!

A solid early Leonard Detroit crime novel with all the usual Leonard suspects. Filled with great dialogue, fantastic characters, it sets the reader up well for each of Leonard's funky plot twists. More than anything, this novel is a modern-day "awakening" of the female protagonist/victim. She moves from being a passive victim/wife to being an agent in her own new destiny; from being a scene in her own life to being the principal actor. That arc alone makes this novel worth it.

There is always a slight Karmic vibe to the Leonard novels I've read. It isn't just a simple equation of crime ≠ pay. No. Leonard isn't that trite. But stupidity, arrogance, selfishness, laziness and wickedness are all given the proper time and fertilizer to bloom and decay in the short 200 pages of his hardboiled garden.

Very good, but........

..........look, you know that Elmore Leonard is one of the best, if not the best, story tellers of all time. In addition, his books are perfect for audible. But, the narrator was okay but not great. What I did not like was the ending. Then again you may think it is a great ending. Anyway, take the time to listen to this book, it's worth the time.

Fun short book; enjoyed the read but a B

If you could sum up The Switch in three words, what would they be?

Enjoyed the listen

Would you be willing to try another book from Elmore Leonard? Why or why not?

yes, I like Elmore Leonard but he has written so much over such a long career that some are just better than others

Which scene was your favorite?

The ending

Any additional comments?

Worth the time

Inept criminals in a madcap caper

A friend of mine told me about Elmore Leonard, so I decided to give him a try. Now I wonder what took me so long! His use of dialog was excellent and his characters well rounded. I have heard his endings were weak, but I thought this one was great. You don't really know the whole story until the last sentence, like a touché in fencing. I loved it, although I can see where some people would have found it rather abrupt.

A little about the plot: Louis Gara and Ordell Robbie met in prison and became quick friends. When Louis got out from another stint in jail, he went to Detroit to stay with his old friend. Ordell had been busy putting a can't miss scam together. The plan included kidnapping Mickey Dawson, a crooked land developer's wife, and holding her for a 1 million dollar ransom. Frank Dawson couldn't go to the police because he was hiding money in an off shore bank account. Add in a Neo-Nazi ex-security guard, a mistress on the side, and a hostage reluctant to return to her previous life, and what you get is an on-the-fly 'switch' in plans.

A very enjoyable read! I will definitely put more Elmore Leonard on my 'to read' list.

This book was a lot of fun!

I thought the way it was read was perfect for the story and it's characters.

Annoying reader

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not Leonard's best, but this story was read so poorly It was hard not just give up on the book. Like most Leonard's stories, this one is fun with good characters and exiting plot.I will skip anything read by Mark Hammer in the future

Expected more..

Story was too slow, with way too much add on material, and the narrator read it way to calmly. It about put me to sleep a few times. I love Elmore Leonard's work, but the narrator made this super boring and hard to get thru unfortunately

Imported from the D

Great Story will be reading more from the same author.
Story takes place when the get decline began in Detroit, I remember the sights and feeling of the city the author conveys throughout the storyline.

I wasn’t expecting the ending!

I liked it all. I feel bad for Beau, though, poor kid having a father like that to “look up to”.

Really e leonard?

Couldn't finish at. the narrator was not the usual for e leonard and sorry he was not good. the benign conversation didn't seem like other leonard books, and I couldn't have cared less about what happened.