Elmore Leonard Dies at 87
by Hilary Lewis, Andy Lewis, Duane Byrge
Elmore Leonard, considered by many to be the greatest crime writer of modern times, has died due to complications of a stroke. He was 87.
He wrote 45 novels, many of which were adapted for movies or TV over the years.
His most recent TV hit was the FX series Justified, starring Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, which was based on his short story “Fire in the Hole.”
Films based on his work included Hombre, 52 Pick-Up, Out of Sight, Get Shorty and Jackie Brown.
The film version of Leonard’s The Switch, starring Jennifer Aniston, Mos Def, Tim Robbins and Isla Fisher, will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. At the time of his death, he was at work on another novel, which was set in the world of competitive bull riding.