Tishomingo Blues

By: Elmore Leonard

Narrated by: Frank Muller

Things are going along okay with Dennis' gig at the Tishomingo Lodge & Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, "the Casino Capital of the South", until the day he looks down from the high-dive platform and witnesses a mob hit, Dixie style.

Turns out there was a second witness, Robert Taylor from Detroit, who carries a picture of his great-granddaddy's lynching along with a gun in a briefcase and listens to Delta blues while cruising the back roads of Mississippi in his black Jaguar. Robert works for a man from up north who has come to play General Grant in a Civil War battle reenactment, and like Dennis, Robert has a death-defying act of his own: he's sleeping with his boss's wife.

Adding further intrigue are the women. Vernice lures Dennis with the whitest thighs he's ever seen. Diane comes to do a story on Dennis and wants to take him to Memphis. And still another comes along to give Dennis the surprise of his life. But it's the scams Robert Taylor plays that move the action through all kinds of unexpected twists and turns.

Tishomingo Blues rings true with the best-selling author's dead-on dialogue, capturing the flavor and rhythms of the South, and finds him plotting at his unpredictable best.

©2002 Elmore Leonard (P)2002 HarperCollinsPublishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A Leonard novel is an event, and for good reason. Over the past 40 years, this writer has evolved into the undisputed champ of the American crime novel, and he hasn't lost a step.... Prime Leonard, prime reading." (Publishers Weekly)

"Frank Muller gives a virtuoso performance in bringing this large and varied cast to life....This is a Muller performance to savor." (AudioFile)

"Pure entertainment." (Booklist)

"Pure reading pleasure." (Playboy)

Great Book

This is fun, well written, and a treat to hear. Great characters and Frank Muller brings them all to life perfectly.

Good for a 7-8 hour road trip

Where does Tishomingo Blues rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the middle. It tells a fairly entertaining story with quirky characters, but nothing special.

Would you recommend Tishomingo Blues to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, for the purpose of listening to a story while driving a 7-8 hour trip. I would not recommend it to anyone listening or travelling with children. The language is extreme. This was my first Elmore Leonard novel, but I'm guessing he freely uses expletives as part of his literary style. If you are offended by foul language, this is NOT the book for you.

What about Frank Muller’s performance did you like?

He kept the different characters easy to distinguish. His reading style made it easy to stay focused on the story, which is not always easy.

Classic Elmore Leonard

Well done all the way around. If you like Elmore Leonard, this book is for you. Frank Muller brings the characters to life as one would imagine Leonard always intended.

Great novel, superb narration

And the story is very funny. The women characters are especially convincing and their voices are done so well.

Excellent! Excellent!

Both Writer and Reader. Characters are fully developed, Reader seems to know these characters. Must read!

Tishomingo

Honestly, I thought the story was...eh...not particularly fascinating. It was certainly different and I did enjoy it, but was not captivated by it. What I *did* love was the narrator (Frank Muller). I've never heard a book narrated that way. He spoke at a pretty good clip and had the most natural dialect(s) that I've ever heard. When he switched from speaker to speaker, it was 100% convincing. I'm going to search for books by this narrator.

A fascinating Elmore Leonard in an unusual setting

Elmore Leonard wrote great dialogue for very interesting, well developed characters, in surprising stories with twist endings. This is no exception, with a protagonist who is a daredevil high diver, who gets caught up with down home Mississippi gangsters and street smart gangsters from Detroit, that climaxes during a Civil War battle reenactment. The level of detail about the reenactment, and the larger Civil War context, is fascinating, and only enhances the unfolding contest between the criminals. Frank Muller’s narrative attitude is perfect for the story, although the breathy quality of his voice occasionally is annoying. Also, I found I had to play the narration at 80% to enjoy. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book.

A Great Ride!

Dive In and Hold On for a Great Ride! Written in true Elmore Leonard style and read exceptionally (!!!) for a solid entertainment experience. A joy...

Interesting read

I really enjoyed the book, though it wasn't exactly what I expected! I made the mistake of downloading this story onto my player instead of another book, and boy, was I confused at first! Once I realized that it was not the book I expected, I really enjoyed the story. The characters are interesting and colorful, and I can honestly say that I didn't see the plot unfolding as it did. This book was my first by the author, and I am sure that I will soon be listening to another.

Pure Elmore

One of Elmore Leonard's best. Great story, great dialog, and perfect narration.