Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing, 24 Jun 2005
Elmore Leonard is the man behind two of the best films of the 1990's - Get Shorty and Jackie Brown - but this one falls pitifully short of those standards. He probably wrote it faster than I could read it !So the author demands respect, he's up there with the greats but "Mr Paradise" is not the book he will be best remembered for. It's about two girls, Chloe and Kelly, who spend an evening with a wealthy man (Mr Paradise) at his mansion for the sole purpose of entertaining him in whatever way he chooses, and they know they will get highly paid for it. But something goes terribly wrong, and two people end up dead. Much of the ensuing story relates to why Mr P was killed, and who will benefit in his last will and testament. This is a very 'talky' novel, not what I had expected from an author who has in the past been so skilled at describing the atmosphere of places and events, and the way that different and often interesting characters inter-act with each other. This story, by comparison, is lacking in that famous Elmore Leonard spirit, it's a by-the-numbers account of an investigation into a contract killing and one in which the cop falls for the beautiful key witness, his first romantic encounter since the death of his wife a year or two earlier. Ho-hum. Nothing radical here, it reads like a kind of soap opera or TV movie, and it would be sad if you buy this book and form an impression of the writer if this is to be your first encounter with him. Believe me, he's much, much better than this. Try Rum Punch to see what I mean.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Topless Cheerleaders and Stupid Bad Guys, Oh My!, 7 Jan 2008
Mr. Paradise, real name Anthony Paridiso, is a retired personal injuries attorney. He's eighty-four years old, healthy for his years and he gets his kicks watching video tapes of his favorite Wolverines' football games. Well, he sort of spices up the video with a dancing hooker whose services cost him a paltry five grand a week. But then again there's nothing like a topless cheerleader with a blue M painted between her breasts with a magic marker, especially if she's not wearing any panties underneath her pleated cheerleader skirt.
Montez Taylor is Mr. Paradise's chief factotum and gopher. He's black and criminal, a wannabe operator who cruises around the city, acting smooth and slick and he's just been left out of the old man's will.
Chloe Robinette is twenty-seven, has a loft on the riverfront she paid $400,000 cash for, back when she hadn't slimmed her client list down to only the spunky Mr. Paradise.
Kelly Barr is Chloe's roommate. She's a Victoria's Secret model and just about a dead ringer for blond and blue-eyed Chloe.
Chloe recruits Kelly to assist her one night in the cheerleading routine and two hit men hired by Montez, because he's upset about the will thing, crash the party, leaving Paradise and Chloe dead. Fortunately for Kelly she was upstairs with the smooth and slick operator at the time. Montez needs Kelly because Paradiso had signed over some to Chloe that's worth big money and it's lodged in a safe-deposit box in Montez's name. Montez wants Kelly to pose as Chloe, so he can collect on it.
Then along comes Homicide detective Frank Delsa who finds himself attracted to Kelly who finds herself attracted to him as well. And so it goes in this rip roaring read that I just loved to pieces. There are many pretenders out there but nobody does Elmer Leonard like Elmer Leonard. He pulls you right into the story, right into the heads of his characters, right out or your problems and cares as you eagerly devour his work and MR. PARADISE is one of his best.
Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne
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21 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Feeble, 9 Jun 2005
He probably wrote it faster than I could read it !Elmore Leonard demands respect, he's up there with the
greats but "Mr Paradise" is not the book he will be
best remembered for. It's about two girls, Chloe and
Kelly, who spend an evening with a wealthy man (Mr
Paradise) at his mansion for the sole purpose of
entertaining him in whatever way he chooses, and they
know they will get highly paid for it. But something
goes terribly wrong, and two people end up dead. Much
of the ensuing story relates to why Mr P was killed,
and who will benefit in his last will and testament. This is a very 'talky' novel, not what I had expected
from an author who has in the past been so skilled at
describing the atmosphere of places and events, and
the way that different characters inter-act with each
other. This story, by comparison, is lacking in that
famous Elmore Leonard spirit, it's a by-the-numbers
account of an investigation into a contract killing
and one in which the cop falls for the beautiful key
witness, his first romantic encounter since the death
of his wife a year or two earlier. Ho-hum. Nothing
radical here, it reads like a kind of soap opera or TV
movie, and it would be sad if you buy this book and
form an impression of the writer if this is to be your
first encounter with him. Believe me, he's much, much
better than this.
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