Honky Tonk Samurai

Hap and Leonard #9

by Joe R. Lansdale

Only Hap and Leonard would catch a cold case with hot cars, hot women, and ugly skinheads.
The story starts simply enough when Hap, a former 60s activist and self-proclaimed white trash rebel, and Leonard, a tough black, gay Vietnam vet and Republican with an addiction to Dr. Pepper, are working a freelance surveillance job in East Texas. The uneventful stakeout is coming to an end when the pair witness a man abusing his dog. Leonard takes matters into his own fists, and now the bruised dog abuser wants to press charges.
One week later, a woman named Lilly Buckner drops by their new PI office with a proposition: find her missing granddaughter, or she'll turn in a video of Leonard beating the dog abuser. The pair agrees to take on the cold case and soon discover that the used car dealership where her granddaughter worked is actually a front for a prostitution ring. What began as a missing-person case becomes one of blackmail and murder.
Filled with Lansdale's trademark whip-smart dialogue, relentless pacing, and unorthodox characters, Honky Tonk Samurai is a rambunctious thrill ride by one hell of a writer.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Thriller, Noir, Humor, Mystery Thriller

340 pages, Hardcover

First published November 24, 2015

About the author

Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.

He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.

Reviews

[Kemper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hotdog crap fries! Hap and Leonard are back!

You’ve never heard the expression ‘hotdog crap fries’ before? That’s because it’s my new favorite exclamation after misreading this line in the book: "Some summers it’s so hot dog crap fries on the sidewalk." For a minute there I thought Sonic was really scraping the bottom of the barrel for new menu ideas…

But aside from that little misunderstanding it was great to get a new adventure with a couple of my favorite rednecks just in time for the premiere of their new TV show. The guys are trying to do a little quiet surveillance work for their private detective gig when they witness a dog being beaten by an abusive owner. After a much deserved ass kicking is delivered Hap has a new dog, but as usual their best intentions have unintended consequences when this leads to them getting a new client, an elderly woman who wants to hire them to look for a granddaughter who stole her money and went missing years before.

The trail leads to a car dealership that is offering a lot more than easy financing, and as usual Hap & Leonard soon find themselves at odds with various dangerous people including a biker gang. They’re also warned that the people they’re dealing with may use the services of a mysterious hitman who likes to remove the testicles of his victims.

While I always enjoy reading this series I’d found the last several books less than fully satisfactory. A large part of this was because Vanilla Ride and Devil Red were on the thin side, and the next two after that were just novellas that clocked in about a 100 pages each. This time out Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe Lansdale provides a full 340 pages of Hap & Leonard doing their thing, and it felt like finally getting a full meal after having to nibble on appetizers when you’re really hungry.

There’s all the usual factors that make for a great Hap & Leonard story with lots of humor, profanity filled crude dialogue, crazy characters, a mystery for the guys to bumble through, and plenty of threats to their well being. There's also a whole lot of violence in the form of beatings, gunfire, and the judicious use of a crowbar at one point.

Getting a full sized novel instead of a quickie also means there’s time for subplots, and we’re treated to Hap’s girlfriend Brett taking over the detective agency they work for, Leonard’s problems with his on-again-off-again boyfriend, and the appearance of a new character that promises a whole mess of new complications for Hap. There’s also the reappearance of some old friends that add a lot of spice and action to the whole adventure. Landsale also has a pretty surprising ending to this one that is sure to have Hap and Leonard fans buzzing for a while.

Overall, this ended up being a return to form for the series, and I’d say it's the best book featuring Hap and Leonard since Bad Chili. Now I can settle back with a big order of hotdog crap fries and watch the TV show.

[Dan Schwent · Rating 4 out of 5]

When an old lady shoots some video of Leonard kicking the shit out of a dog abuser, she tasks Hap & Leonard with finding her missing grand daughter in exchange for not informing the authorities. Hap & Leonard are soon up to their eyebrows in a stew of blackmail, prostitutes, and a testicle taking killer called The Canceler...

The dynamic duo really stepped in a steaming pile in this one. Brett, Hap's girlfriend, bought Marvin Hanson's detective agency and the boys are now legit private eyes. Their first licensed case might be their last. Honky Tonk Samurai brings a few of the Hap & Leonard supporting cast members together like the A-Team. Jim Bob Luke, Cason, and Vanilla Ride all have pretty big roles as Hap and Leonard try to unravel the case. Booger, the newbie, was much more interesting than I originally thought. Complicating matters are a young woman who may be connected to Hap, bikers, the Dixie Mafia, the Barbecue King, and The Canceler.

This story is vintage Lansdale. The jokes are hilarious, the writing is crisp, and the violence is gore-soaked. Since it's Hap and Leonard we're talking about, I knew asses would be kicked and shots would be fired but the climax was even more than I expected.

Honky Tonk Samurai is much beefier than the previous two H&L outings but Lansdale's latest tale is balls to the wall for much of its 350 pages. I lost track of all the quotable lines I meant to remember in the mad rush to the end.

While the climax was great, one of the twists nearly had me shitting myself. One of my few complaints with the series is that all the wisecracking makes you forget lives are at stake. No more! The book left so many unanswered questions that I hope the next Hap & Leonard book is already at the press.

Four out of five stars. If you can handle 350 pages of pure Mojo, get it now!

[Dave Edmunds · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐'s

"I don’t think we ask for trouble, me and Leonard. It just finds us. It often starts casually, and then something comes loose and starts to rattle, like an unscrewed bolt on a carnival ride. No big thing at first, just a loose, rattling bolt, then the bolt slips completely free and flies out of place, the carnival ride groans and screeches, and it jags and tumbles into a messy mass of jagged parts and twisted metal and wads of bleeding human flesh."

Initial Thoughts

Back once again with Joe Lansdale's Hap and Leonard series with Honky Tonk Samurai. Yes I've got an obsession going on and I'm proud of it. I just can't stay away from these guys, like Leonard Pine can't stay away from those vanilla cookies.

This is book number nine in a barnstorming series so I'm going to get straight into it with minimal introduction. If you need to know anymore check out my previous reviews. I've literally written War and Peace detailing why I love it so much.

All I will say is that I've not read a bad Hap and Leonard story yet. 'Champion' Joe Lansdale sure knows how to tell a story and he's at his best with these guys. Let's find out if that holds up with this entry.

The Story

This one kicks off with Hap and Leonard carrying out surveillance on behalf of their good buddy, and current employer, ex-cop Marvin Hanlon. As we know trouble seems to follow these boys around and when it doesn't Leonard is prepared to make it, particularly for someone whose abusing his dog right in front of the pair. Has this guy got a deathwish? He soon gets some rough justice and has his dog confiscated for good measure. But all this is caught on camera by a neighbour, a foul-mouthed old lady, who uses this to blackmail the pair into doing a job for her. Finding her daughter, Sandy, who disappeared along with a sizeable sum of money.

You won't be surprised when I tell you there's more to this than meets the eye and it isn't long before the pair are squarely in the firing line once more. This time with a dangerous biker gang who go by the name of Apocalypse on Wheels. Sons of Anarchy have nothing on these guys. But that is only the start of things. So rev that engine up and enjoy the ride!



The Characters

I can't skip the characters here. You know by now what I think of the main two. With the fantastic back and forth dialogue between them, it really does feel like hanging out with my best mates. I love the guys. They've both grown quite a bit since we were first introduced to them all the way back in Savage Season.

But there's some fantastic returning characters who really spice things up as Lansdale effortlessly weaves them into the narrative. They're all flawed in some way but have their own charm. Like Jim Bob Luke, who is a fascinating character and comes across as a bit of a joke but is anything but. When the chips are down he's as cool as ice and never without some hilarious comment to lighten the mood.

Then there's femme fatale Vanilla Ride, who despite being an over-the-top character has some brilliant interaction with the other characters. Particularly macho asshole, Booger who makes his first appearance in this one. I just couldn't help but imagine him as Andrew Tate and he regularly gets put right in his place when he underestimates the wolf in sheep's clothing that is little old Vanilla.

The bad guys in this are also great and things get really messed up towards the end. Lansdale reminds us that he used to write in the horror genre and can get really dark when the mood takes him. These guys certainly wouldn't look amiss on one of those Wrong Turn movies.

Final Thoughts

Although Honky Tonk Samurai did start off quite slowly for a Hap and Leonard novel it certainly picked momentum as it went on and I certainly appreciated this as we got some of the fantastic slice of life drama that this author does so well. It works it's way up to a jaw dropping finale that has the feel of a survival horror movie. You know I like me some of that and I literally couldn't take my hands off it.

Was it as good as the very best(Two Bear Mambo and Much Mojo)? No it wasn't but it is definitely up there amongst the best and has me in the mood to dive right into the next one. Shame I have a rule of always breaking up a series with a different book to keep that hunger alive.

I know theres a Hap & Leonard TV series that got cut short after three seasons and this book makes me wonder how good it could have been if they kept it going. It's certainly something I plan on watching when I have time.

Anyway, I'm not far off finishing this fantastic series and I'm starting to dread it. A bit like yourself reading this review. But all good things must come to an end.

Thanks for reading and...cheers!

[Karl · Rating 3 out of 5]

With this book Joe R. Lansdale has turned a corner I don’t much care for. Similar to the practices of Hollywood , especially the Marvel world of super heros and the James Bond franchise, the bad guys must get worse and nastier and the stakes go higher and higher.

In many of the Hap and Leonard books our protagonists take care of the situation they become involved in. However, with ”Honky Tonk Samurai” the pair must gather a team (similar to the Avengers), which include characters from other books, Vanilla Ride, Booger, Jim Bob Luke (former pig farmer and detective) and former police officer turned private investigator turned police chief Marvin Hanson, to track down an inbred family of hitmen and killers, who like to slit the throats and cut the nut sacks off of their victims in order to leave their signature.

If one perseveres and gets past the first seventy or eighty pages of fluff and repetitive banter that begins this book, then a pretty decent story develops. Hap and Leonard who now own their own detective agency, are hired by a dying woman to locate her missing daughter who may have been connected to a prostitution ring. To the credit of Mr. Lansdale Hap and Leonard are ageing and growing fat due to the passage of time and the consumption of vanilla cookies.

Perhaps written for the new fans that will enjoy the new T.V. series of the duo, or perhaps written due to contractual agreements this book is not up to the high water marks of some of Mr. Lansdale’s previous work especially the excellent “Paradise Sky”

For those interested there will be two collections of Hap an Leonard stories out later this year, “Hap and Leonard”, Seven adventures, one of them brand new, for the “freelance troubleshooters” in March 2016 and “Hap and Leonard Ride Again” due in February for you Kindle readers.


This is an Advanced Reading Copy - Uncorrected Proof copy of the book, due to be published by Mulholland Books February 2, 2016.

[Berengaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

short review for busy readers: a more sedate Hap & Leonard with a focus on the series plot. More banter than usual, many returning series characters and the introduction of a new one -- Chance, Hap's daughter he never knew he had. After several gay characters, we get the first trans character of the series with "Frank". Still funny and action packed (towards the end).

in detail:
What links an abusive dog owner getting his comeuppance to our boys, plus a few other violent mofos, taking on a compound full of inbred hillbilly killers for hire and leaving bodies strewn all over the place?

A lot of twisty-turny plot things, that's what. Many of them involving a little old lady with a mean streak and a Smartphone, and a few concerning local sheriff Marvin Hanson.

And, of course, Vanilla Ride is back again. (We knew it, didn't we?)

My hightlight: seeing my fave side character again - Jim Bob "hell in a cowboy hat" Luke. It's always a pleasure to see his charm, and skill with a variety of weapons, at work.

On the home front, maybe Hap has a daughter he never knew about: Chance.

While Hap and Brett have been hesitant about starting a fam of their very own, a ready-packaged one might do the trick...seeing as how they also now have a dog.

New daughter, new dog...looks like Hap's getting pretty domestic. Will that slow him down in the future? Quite possibly. If he lives and has all his faculties, which at the end of this one is questionable

A fairly good H&L that moves the series plot along far more than being about the individual case. (Woo hoo Jim Bob!)

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honky Tonk Samurai is a Hap and Leonard novel. It was touching, action packed and hilarious all at the same time. But the end! The ending just slayed me.

This time around the buddies take on a case for an elderly, and not at all pleasant woman, Lilly. Lilly saw them set a man straight after they discovered him abusing his dog, (now Hap's dog), and hires them to find her thieving, estranged grand-daughter. Alongside that plot line is another, concerning Hap's past showing up on his doorstep to throw a monkey wrench into his life with his wife, Brett.

From there, a crazy cast of characters enter the picture and the story takes off. We have a beautiful woman called Frank, a half insane guy named Booger, the ultra cocky Jim-Bob (P.I.), and Vanilla Sky, just to name a few. The action ensues, the pacing never slows, and the wonderful relationship between Hap and Leonard deepens even more.

I'm a late comer to this series and I've read my first two H & L's out of order, (my friend Dan assured me it would be okay to do so), but all that has accomplished is to make me want to tackle the rest of them and RIGHT NOW. Good thing this is my Year of Lansdale, and I have set aside ample time to tackle the rest of this series and hopefully, more of his older work as well.

Highly recommended to fans of Joe Lansdale, but especially to fans of the Hap and Leonard series!

You can buy your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/Honky-Tonk-Samu...

**In case you haven't heard, Hap and Leonard is now a series on the Sundance Channel. It's most excellent thus far.**


*I received a free e-copy of this book via Net Galley and the publisher, in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*

[Jonathan Janz · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say one definition of genius is to be able to do something no one else can do. Well, I know that no one else but Joe R. Lansdale could write a sentence like this:

"It felt like a dogfight was going on in my belly."

If you aren't reading Lansdale yet, friends, you need to be. The Hap and Leonard books represent one of my three favorite series (along with Harry Potter and THE DARK TOWER).

HONKYTONK SAMURAI might be the best installment yet. If it's not, it's up there. I don't mind admitting, it hit me with a greater emotional impact than any of the other books in the series. And brother, that's saying something, because I love them all.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm disappointed. It might be my book series fatigue but the Hap and Leonard series seems like it's turned into an epic talk-fest. Because this novel was just released, I decided to jump ahead a couple books in the series and read it. The first four books in the series were exciting reads, with compelling plots, a great balance of both light-hearted humor and palpable danger, and tender bits sprinkled throughout. But as the series went on, it seemed like Lansdale started to depend solely on the humor and witty dialogue over developing a memorable story, losing the great balance that he started out with. Here, Hap and Leonard, and especially Jim Bob Luke, blabber on and on throughout the book, trying to make us laugh, which they succeed at for the most part. But while it's hard to resist the unending charm of Hap and Leonard as characters and Lansdale's talent with words, I immediately forgot what the plot was once I finished. I remember it had something to do with a mystery involving a tranny car salesman and redneck assassins that take their victims severed nutsacks as trophies...so there it has that going for it!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I have a crush on Hap.
And on Leonard, eventhough he's gay. Who cares!!!

Rescuing a dog, helping a not-so-helpless lady, kicking some inbred asses...a thoroughly entertaining part in the series. Will be following these guys until the very end, which I hope will never happen.
Lansdale for the win!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Leonard. Hap is a kind, gentle, thoughtful, liberal and probably should be my favorite, but I just love nasty-talking, people-hating, gay-Republican, egomaniacal, vanilla cookie-eating black guys. I can't believe I'm all caught up with this series.....more, please Mr. Lansdale. High art.....it ain't. 340 pages of joy....it is.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The great thing about the Hap and Leonard books (aside from Hap and Leonard themselves) is the accessibility to new readers. It's been a while since I last read a book in this series and in no time at all, I found myself in familiar territory - this, despite having not read Devil Red, the book set prior to Honky Tonk Samurai (I do plan on correcting this asap).

The ninth book in the series continues the exciting escapades and brotherly banter of the perennial protagonists amid the dangerous sh!t they so easily find themselves knee deep in.

Working for a detective agency, the brotherly duo are hired to track down a longtime missing granddaughter of a cranky old woman. With little to go on, aside from a few hints at some nefarious activity and a picture of the missing granddaughter, they end up at a car dealership - sleuthing for answers whilst trying to determine if cars are the only thing on offer at said dealership...spoiler alert; the dealership is an elaborate front for blackmail and prostitution! But, this being a Hap and Leonard book, that's just the tip of the jagged iceberg.

Honky Tonk Samurai is loads of fun; from the colorful characters to the high octane action scenes, the pace never lets up. Its refreshing that a series, nine books in, can still provide character and emotional depth whilst maintaining a distinct sense of continuity without sacrificing plot.

I loved every moment and am looking forward to reading what happens in the next installment, Rusty Puppy.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honky Tonk Samurai is the 11th book by Joe R Lansdale to feature the entertaining adventures of best friends Hap 'a former 60s activist and self-proclaimed white trash rebel' and Leonard 'a black, gay Vietnam vet and Republican with an addiction to Dr. Pepper and vanilla cookies'.

Their language may be crude, their banter often tasteless but it's impossible not be charmed by these redneck tough guys whose hearts are usually in the right place. Hap and Leonard may have casual regard for the law, but they share a strong sense of justice, they fiercely defend each other, those they love, and those who need their help.

"I don’t think we ask for trouble, me and Leonard. It just finds us. It often starts casually, and then something comes loose and starts to rattle, like an unscrewed bolt on a carnival ride. No big thing at first, just a loose, rattling bolt, then the bolt slips completely free and flies out of place, the carnival ride groans and screeches, and it sags and tumbles into a messy mass of jagged parts and twisted metal and wads of bleeding human flesh. I’m starting this at the point in the carnival ride when the bolt has started to come loose."

In Honky Tonk Samurai, Brett, Hap's live in lady, purchases Marvin Hanson's private detective agency now that he has been rehired as police chief. The new agency's first client is an elderly woman who blackmails Hap and Leonard into searching for her granddaughter, who has been missing for five years. Their investigation leads them to an upscale dealership selling much more than just cars, and puts a target on their back.

The plot is fairly simple and a bit of a stretch, but its all in good fun. There is plenty of action and violence on offer as Hap and Leonard, with a little help, take on a biker gang, the Dixie Mafia and a psychotic brotherhood of assassins. The humour is cheeky, often coarse, but the rapid fire banter is laugh out loud funny.

Readers familiar with the series will welcome appearances from characters such as Vanilla Ice, Cason and Jim Bob Luke. Lansdale's descriptions of the characters that populate his novel are as colourful and vivid as ever.

"That’s when the door opened and a lady came in who was older than dirt but cleaner. She had a cane, which explained the cricket, but the elephant walk was a little more confusing, as she wasn’t much bigger than a minute. She had more dyed red hair than she had the head for. That hair seemed to be an entity unto itself, mounded and teased and red as blood. You could have shaved her like a sheep and knitted a sweater with all that hair, maybe have enough left over for at least one sock or, if not that, a change purse. Her face was dry-looking. She had a lot of makeup on it, as if she were trying to fill a ditch, or several. Her clothes were a little too young for her age, which was somewhere near to that of a mastodon that had survived major climate change but was wounded by it. She had on bright red tight jeans and a sleeveless blue shirt that showed hanging flesh like water wings under her arms. Her breasts were too big, or maybe they were too exposed; the tops of them stuck out of her push-up bra. They looked like aging melons with rot spots, which I supposed were moles or early cancer. "

The last few pages came as a shock but I breathed a sigh of relief when I learned that another Hap and Leonard book (Rusty Puppy) is on its way, and I'm looking forward to the premiere of Hap and Leonard on Sundance TV in March 2016

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s been six years since the last Hap and Leonard novel, Devil Red, though author Joe R. Lansdale has written several novellas and short stories in the meantime. Coinciding with the new Sundance TV show is their eleventh entry, Honky Tonk Samurai, which had a roundabout release schedule after releasing in Italy in the fall of 2015. Hap and Leonard have been one of crime fiction’s most fascinating duos since their introduction in 1990—Hap Collins is a working-class white guy, a left-leaning idealist who went to jail for draft-dodging and hates violence and killing; Leonard Pine is a gay, Republican black man who developed his rough-and-tough persona after growing up in racist East Texas and serving in ‘Nam. They’re the best of friends, two “freelance troubleshooters” who get into a variety of sticky situations and run afoul of some rather vile people in Lansdale’s oddball “redneck noir” series.

Honky Tonk Samurai begins with the two characters working a surveillance job for cop-turned-P.I. Marvin Hanson, which is interrupted when their target’s neighbor starts abusing a dog, and an angry Leonard decides to set him straight. The first police responders on the scene include Marvin Hanson, recently roped back into law enforcement to become the police chief, whose first order of business is to arrest the dog abuser and let Leonard off the hook. His second is to sell his detective agency to Hap’s girlfriend Brett.

A few weeks later, Hap and Brett are easing into their new line of business, and are making progress in nursing the poor dog—named Buffy—back to health. That’s when their first job comes lurching up their stairs, a crotchety and foul-mouthed old woman who has footage of Leonard beating the shit out of the dog abuser on her phone. She threatens to release that footage unless they start investigating the disappearance of her niece, Sandy, who’s gone missing under mysterious circumstances. That’s when things start to go sideways, and the boys may have finally bitten off more than they can chew: the dealership Sandy worked at is a front for a large blackmailing ring, which is itself just one tentacle of a large criminal enterprise. Along the way, they’ll run afoul of a ex-con turned transgender car salesman, a biker gang army from hell, and a group of inbred hitmen who collect the testicles from all the targets they kill. For a plot this wild and complex, Hap and Leonard need to pull out the big guns, and they recruit a murderer’s row of vigilantes and anti-heroes from the pages of Lansdale’s other novels…

At times, Honky Tonk Samurai feels like the Hap and Leonard swan song. The two main characters are getting up in age, now both in their fifties and starting to feel it; they also start doing some soul-searching, with Leonard trying to figure out his on-off relationship with John, and Hap coming face to face with a young woman named Chance, claiming to be his daughter. Most of the novel’s plot works to get the band back together for one last big battle, pulling in hotshot P.I. and cowboy-wannabe Jim Bob Luke (from Cold in July), investigative journalist Cason and sociopathic Booger (see Hot in December), and the beautiful ex-assassin Vanilla Ride (from, well, Vanilla Ride). The last hundred pages or so is an excellent, high-octane thrill ride as the characters’ grand plan is put to the test. And while I don’t want to spoil the ending, it—and some of the other developments in the novel—leave things in a much different and more ambiguous place, almost demanding another book to answer the many questions left hanging.

But while the last few hundred pages are attention-grabbing and action-packed, the first hundred pages or so meander around, setting up the various developments and letting Hap and Leonard engage in witty banter. I never thought I’d see the day where I grew tired of reading Hap and Leonard dialogue—I still don’t, but it’s starting to wear a bit thin, and of the book’s 61 short chapters a few too many consist of nothing but repetitive talking. Most of these aren’t too bad as they do relate to the narrative, but Jim Bob Luke in particular goes off on a few tall-tales which have nothing to do with the plot. The Hap and Leonard stories have always been a bit out-there/over-the-top, but Honky Tonk Samurai takes the cake; the investigation takes a slow and roundabout route while the convoluted plot grows in magnitude—and the bad guys get badder—at an exponential rate.

Joe Lansdale can still write circles around many lesser authors, and Honky Tonk Samurai still has a lot of the killer lines of dialogue that make you smile or laugh, along with his trademark raunchy humor. The mystery and its investigation is fascinating, if convoluted, and the action scenes go balls-to-the-walls with a shootout and car chase with some of the nastiest folk in East Texas. There’s some wild twists and turns you probably will never expect, which kept me on edge. Lansdale even tugs at your heartstrings, such as the scene where they unravel all the mysteries for their client, and in a few scenes where Hap bonds with his (possible) daughter. But I’m left feeling that the series is starting to go through the numbers—it hits all the expected beats but doesn’t quite have the same the same vigor as the earlier books, and it falls short of Lansdale’s recent high-water marks like Edge of Dark Water and Paradise Sky. Lansdale does a lot to shake up the status quo, and Rusty Puppy—the forthcoming twelfth entry in the series—could be a very different animal, and at the least should answer the questions left over from Honky Tonk Samurai. I’m intrigued already.

Honky Tonk Samurai is a novel that fans of the series may eat up, if only because it’s an entertaining novel that delivers everything you expect from a Hap and Leonard book. Heck, new fans should also find it accessible given the way it introduces the characters, and if you’ve never read a Hap and Leonard novel before, you’re in for a treat—even if this one has a few rough edges. While it’s entertaining as hell and has a lot of good elements, my feelings are mixed about Honky Tonk Samurai; it suffers most from a lack of balance. The first third of the novel is eased on like a pair of comfortable (if worn-out) slippers: introducing the characters, having them partake in lots of humorous dialogue, balancing mystery with danger, though altogether it’s a bit too talky and meandering. About at the halfway mark, the novel shows its fangs and grabs hold of you; it speeds up as it races towards its bloody finale. Despite my complaints it’s very much worth reading, and it left me pumped to see what happens in Rusty Puppy.

I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an open and honest review.

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5, rounded up.

None of the Hap & Leonard books have been even close to bad, but this is probably up there with the best of them. Hell, Jim Bob Luke is in this book, so that's a star bump right there! We've got good support from our recurring cast members, and a mystery that's proving pretty hard to uncover, but as is usual for our brothers from different mothers, all of their efforts lead to calamity for them and their loved ones. As they peel back the weird layers of the onion, deadly foes emerge, and we get lots of really good action beats in this volume, including one that I'd rank as the best in any of the books yet, involving a car chase with a Humvee on some back roads. We also get introduced to a couple of new characters that may prove to be quite pivotal to our boys moving forward. Can't wait to read the next volume next month!

[Chuck Karas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Lansdale, especially the Hap N Leonard series has become a comfort read for me. His ability to spin a yarn is superb, and they are always humorous and witty. I would love to sit around a campfire while he tells a tale. This tale is a sleek smooth ride on a bumpy road at mach speed without brakes.

[Marvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of mystery series that I hope never stops. Joe R. Lansdale's Hap and Leonard series is about two loyal if unlikely friends. Hap is a somewhat liberal straight white guy who did some time in prison for fighting the draft during the Vietnam War. Leonard is a conservative gay black man. Leonard is the cynical type that would rather pound you down to the ground than reason with you while Hap tries to remain optimistic while reluctantly agreeing that a good kick and punch might be necessary more often than not. It is one of those unlikely relationships that quickly become deeper than the bond in most families. Hap and Leonard have been through 9 full novels with at least two novellas and a few short stories on the side. Their relationship continues to be the strength of the series yet they have managed to latch on to a few friends along the way that help round them out, noticeably Hap's girl friend Rhett and private investigator, now police chief, Marvin Hansen.

When you have so many books in your series, sometimes the plot can get rather similar. Yet with Joe R. Lansdale manning the pen, it is the characters and the smart-ass dialog that shine through. The real delight in Honky Tonk Samurai is that the friendship between Hap and Leonard is taking on the nature of a family with Rhett being the common sense grounding for the reckless duo. There is also another surprise in the family motif but I won't give that away. Honky Tonk Samurai is typically clever and funny with wonderful examples of the author's folksy humor like "you could have pushed me down with a hummingbird fart." But I fully appreciate the deeper relational aspects that continue to evolve with this pair of East Texas anti-heroes.

The plot? While on a stakeout for their work for PI Marvin Hansen, Leonard sees a man kicking his dog. That is enough for Leonard to intervene in his unique style. A older woman records the beat-down and uses the video to "convince" Hap and Leonard to try and find her niece who has been missing for five years. This leads to an investigation involving high price prostitution, blackmail, a murderous motorcycle gang, and a particularly vicious hit-man who collects the ball sacs of his victims.

Like I said, fairly typical Hap and Leonard. We also get quite a few cameos from some other characters of the Hap and Leonard novels Yet Honky Tonk Samurai, if a little same in plot, is different in theme and emotional intensity. We get a deeper side of Hap and even maybe a little more sincerity from the unpredictable Leonard. That is not to say the plot is dull or predictable. It is a hoot all the way through. But this book will be most appreciated by the real fans of the series who have followed the duo through thick and thin. Overall, it is a solid endeavor in the series and worthwhile readingfor all mystery fans.

[Mike Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series.....some of the most fun you can have is sitting down and reading a Hap and Leonard novel. Lansdale has long been my favorite author and nothing is going to change in the near future im sure. Loved the villians in this one, how can you beat a group of ball taking hit men....lol. Got to visit with some great characters from past books, always an added treat. All around great book with two of the best characters in the fiction world, and they are coming to the TV screen soon, cant wait!!

[Jason Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG THIS BOOK. I don't have any words after finishing it. Stunned. Maximum recommendation.

[Don Gillette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm one of Joe R. Lansdale's greatest fans, but even the World Champion Mojo Storyteller can't always knock one out of the park and Honky Tonk Samurai was a bit disappointing. Lot of dialogue--and I mean a LOT of dialogue. In several places, it's page after page. And the story felt forced to me; even Leonard's sexuality (which has always been just an aside) felt forced in this novel.
I'm also a great fan of Kasey Lansdale; seen a few of her shows and enjoyed them. I've got two of her CD's and she's a great singer. But the ham-handed way Joe plugs for her in this book pulled me right out of the story and into reality. When a mysterious girl shows up, Kasey Lansdale is her favorite. When Hap and Leonard took a journey, the one CD Leonard brought with he was Restless by Kasey Lansdale. Kasey's a talented woman in her own right--she didn't need this plug. It was so goddamned blatant I almost put the book down, but I'm glad I didn't because the last 20% was pure Joe Lansdale dynamite.
So I'm giving it 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 and I hope Rusty Puppy gets back on track.

[Joe Santoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even knowing exactly what to expect from a Hap and Leonard book.. this one was almost too much. From the very beginning when Leonard beats a man within an inch of his life for abusing his dog, to the multiple shootouts, it's like the author decided it had been too long since the last book, and he had to up the ante some.

If you're a fan of the series, everything that makes it great is in there... Lansdale writes the relationship of two 'brothers' better than anyone else. Leonard is especially over the top in this one, and it's weird to see Hap progressing toward family bliss, but their relationship is as true and entertaining as ever. Grab some Dr. Pepper and vanilla cookies and settle in, it's a good ride that you'll need to finish once you get into.

[Luca Masera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ennesima folle e sgangherata avventura di Hap e Leonard che sicuramente non delude!
Ritmo frenetico, scrittura fluida e dialoghi divertenti... il tutto miscelato a una dose di violenza e pazzia che cresce di pagina in pagina fino al colpo di scena (?) finale.
Mezzo punto in più perché quando Lansdale decide di chiamare la cavalleria e riunire tutta la banda davvero ci si sente in famiglia.

[Michele Isoardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Per me è impossibile smettere di leggere le avventure di Hap e Leonard. Li considero dei cari amici. È come mi trovassi con loro a bere una birra e a parlare. Questa volta sarà durissima per i due amiche. Il finale è....

[John Culuris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to Come

[Jim Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one should be 4 1/2 stars, being for me, a bit better than previous two novels. Hap and Leonard getting older but maybe even tougher. They are both more aware of their mortality more than ever.

[Helen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hap and Leonard really screw up this one. While looking for a missing girl they get mixed up in a car dealership that also sells ladies on the side. Then what would be a ninja like group of assassins if they weren't inbred rednecks ends up after them. Poor Hap he ain't getting out of this one (except he does as I read book 12).

[Scott Firestone · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the utterly average Devil Red, I was afraid Joe hisownself had lost his mojo. I'm happy to report that Honky Tonk Samurai bring the series back on track.

It does follow the SOP of a seemingly innocuous act turning into a giant crapstorm. This time they save a dog from getting the rawhide kicked out him by a cruel owner. This turns into blackmail that forces the boys onto the case of a missing granddaughter, a high-end escort service with secrets to hide, and bodies aplenty.

The ending was a genuine surprise, and the journey to get there was enjoyable and familiar--like settling into a comfy old chair.

[NiWa · Rating 4 out of 5]

KRASSE ACTION

Angeblich sind Hap und Leonard nicht auf Ärger aus, doch sie versinken erneut in einem Morast aus Problemen. Es beginnt unscheinbar mit der Suche nach einer vermissten Enkelin, die sie richtig tief im Dreck wühlen lässt.

„Krasse Killer“ ist der neunte Band um Hap und Leonard, die im texanischen Osten für Recht und Ordnung sorgen, obwohl sie weit weg von einer offiziellen Funktion sind. Die Reihe steht für schwarzen Humor, derben Sprachgebrauch, trashige Typen und einen Moralkodex, der die Welt ein bisschen besser macht:

„Für mich ist es ganz einfach: Es gibt gute und böse Menschen. Die können FKKler, Schwule, Transdingsbums oder sonst was, Albinos, Zwerge oder Riesen, schwarz, weiß, braun oder alle Farben dazwischen sein.“ (S. 83)

Am Anfang wird der Leser mit etlichen Umstrukturierungen konfrontiert, die sich aufgrund der Rettung eines Hundes offenbaren. Obwohl sich die Rahmenbedingungen ändern, ist weiterhin Hap und Leonards detektivisches Gespür gefragt, weil sie die Enkelin einer alten Frau finden sollen.

Dies ist der Auftakt für das nächste Abenteuer, das weitab der Enkelin in ein texanisches Moloch aus Auftragskillern, Gangs und der Dixie-Mafia führt.

„Wir sind eigentlich in nichts wirklich gut, oder?“ (S. 66)

Vom Ablauf beziehungsweise Aufbau der Handlung her, hat Joe R. Lansdale nichts Neues zu bieten. Der Fall fängt harmlos an und wird von witzigen Dialogen zwischen Hap und Leonard begleitet. Es folgt die Recherche-Phase, in der das Hau-drauf-Duo wie Trüffelschweine die Nasen in den Dreck rammt. Infolge wird es brenzlig, es ergibt sich die Ruhe vor dem Sturm, die in einem blutigen Fiasko ihren Abschluss findet.

Beim neunten Band angelangt, empfand ich den Handlungsverlauf als solide und gut ausgearbeitet. Dennoch gebe ich zu, dass es mir mittlerweile allzu bekannt vorkommt. Bei diesem Fall gibt es nur wenig Überraschungen und für mich wiederholt sich das bewährte Muster.

Dank der Hauptfiguren Hap und Leonard ist trotzdem immer für Abwechslung gesorgt:

„An manchen Tagen wusste man einfach nicht, mit welchem Leonard man’s im nächsten Moment zu tun bekam. Mit dem sarkastischen Scherzbold, dem tödlichen Rächer mit eiskaltem Herzen oder der Rotznase von kleinen Bruder, der seine Kekse und sein Dr. Pepper haben will und immer schnell gelangweilt ist.“ (S. 55)

Am Ende zieht Lansdale ordentlich an und der Fall schlägt in eine Richtung, die für mich unerwartet kam. Es gibt erstaunliche Entwicklungen im Privatleben, neue Konstellationen, und trotzdem weicht „Krasse Killer“ nicht vom üblichen Rahmen ab, was der Handlung etwas die Farbe raubt. Letztendlich überrascht der Autor dennoch mit dem Schluss und weiß mit solidem Handwerk und einer guten Story zu überzeugen.

„Ihr beide und dann noch er, da ist die Katastrophe vorprogrammiert. Das ist wie die Hindenburg und die Titanic und der große Hurrikan von Galveston im Jahr 1900 in einem Aufwasch.“ (S. 237)


Hap & Leonard:
Hap & Leonard:
01) Wilder Winter
02) Mucho Mojo
03) Bärenblues
04) Schlechtes Chili
05) Rumble Tumble
06) Machos und Macheten
07) Das Dixie-Desaster
08) Rote Rache
09) Krasse Killer
10) Bissige Biester
11) Coco Butternut

[Ronald Koltnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have never heard of Hap and Leonard, brace yourself. When the television program about their exploits premieres this spring, everyone will want to jump on board the bandwagon. This is the twelfth adventure for Joe R. Lansdale's two heroes, as they battle crime and nastiness in East Texas. This is a good entry point to the series, although characters from prior novels appear, as our boys graduate to full-time Private Investigators. A salty old woman hires the boys, managed by Hap's ex-nurse girlfriend Brett, to find her missing granddaughter. The search leads them from a luxury car dealership into the world of the Dixie Mafia, and finally into a clash with a nightmare killer named The Canceler, who may not be what he seems. The dialogue is as sharp as ever and the rambling plot takes us places we never want to see in real life. Lansdale is a grand old-fashioned story teller, and this novel, which sets up a follow-up that everyone will be panting for, is as good as it gets. Kasey Lansdale, the authors singing daughter, gets a few plugs too. Read Joe's book, listen to Kasey's CD, and a good time will be had by all.

[John Bruni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Hap and Leonard book. Those guys can't possibly let me down. This time they're hired by an old lady to find her niece and, if she's alive, to bring her home. If she's dead, bring home the remains. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, it *is* Hap and Leonard, so things spin wildly out of control in amazing ways. It's great to have Jim Bob back, and it's oddly pleasing that Booger from LEATHER MAIDEN shows up. In fact, there are a lot of great guest appearances. But then there's the ending. Holy hell, I never saw that coming. I need the next Hap and Leonard book immediately. So do you.

[Taksya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un netto miglioramento rispetto l'ultima avventura, che già era in salita rispetto al precedente.
Anche il fatto che Brett non fosse della partita ha aiutato e il ritorno di buona parte della corte dei miracoli che ruota attorno ai nostri due eroi ha reso l'atmosfera più familiare.
Trascurando la solita mattanza finale, abbiamo avuto meno combattimenti e, con l'età che si fa sentire, la cosa non è male... rende il tutto molto più credibile.
Tra ritorni e nuove entrate, la storia regge bene e gli scambi tra Hap e Leonard sembrano aver ripreso i po' di verve.
Il finale è molto da cliffhanger, ma sappiamo che c'è un seguito, quindi non riesce a preoccupare.