The Big Bounce

The prolific output of crime fiction writer Elmore Leonard somehow eluded me, and there is a possibility I took on the wrong book for my first encounter. He’s written some 35 novels, and “The Big Bounce” at its release more than thirty years ago represented his move away from westerns.
The story holds up surprisingly well, despite its age, and – if not for references to then-current Detroit baseball players and the prices of homes – it could have been written last year. Baseball is the background of Jack Ryan, a washed-up minor leaguer who has fallen into petty crime.
He’s not the brightest crayon in the box, but he’s colorful enough to make up for it. Immediately after accepting a handyman’s job, he meets a high-roller’s mistress who believes Jack and his criminal background are the ticket to the scamming of her Sugar Daddy’s payroll.
Jack isn’t so easily convinced, although he has a tough time saying no to Nancy, who is bored with the life of the idle rich. Her idea of fun is throwing rocks through beach house windows and then running away when the lights come on.
Leonard’s casual style makes it easy to fall in with his characters, wondering to what degree the thrill-seeking Nancy will go before her actions will finally bring her down, and marveling at Jack’s ability to float along at life’s fringes. The strength of “The Big Bounce” is in its characters, but unfortunately, there is little in the way of plot to keep the story heading toward a finish. That may be the reason the book has no conclusion. You turn the last page looking for the rest. There isn’t any more.
To appreciate his writing style, “The Big Bounce” is a ball, but as a well-plotted story, it simply falls flat.