Freaky Deaky (1988)

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 by Elmore Leonard



A trio of former 60's radicals who were always more thrill-seeking opportunists than truly idealistic revolutionaries orbit an alcoholic millionaire who seems to have only a handful of brain cells remaining.

 


They are all scheming to get their hands on his money.

 

"Dynamite" (Hungarian)


Some of their schemes involve explosives, which leads to the accidental involvement of a former Bomb Squad officer and an aspiring starlet.

 


Once Elmore Leonard gets these characters and their conflicting agendas bouncing off one another, a solid, entertaining thriller is the result. 



This was my first Leonard novel, and I was pleased to find that his reputation for masterful dialogue is richly deserved.

 

Elmore Leonard


All of the characters are well-drawn, but Woody, the millionaire, is a particularly brilliant invention. 



The climax seems a bit abrupt, though it has the virtue of being poetically just.



"A Radical Thing" (Finnish)


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