Agatha Christie never wrote about a Victoria's Secret model, and Raymond Chandler didn't create an 84-year-old lawyer with a cheerleader fetish. Only Elmore Leonard would dare to be so bold. His latest novel, "Mr. Paradise," features these and other eclectic characters brought together under a bizarre set of circumstances that defy the conventions of crime novels.
Take, for example, the introduction of the aforementioned lingerie model, Kelly Barr, to the titular Anthony Paradiso. The latter pays Kelly's roommate Chloe $5,000 a week to be his "girlfriend" and dress as a University of Michigan cheerleader during his viewings of classic Wolverine football victories.
This process requires a second cheerleader, and Chloe convinces Kelly to join her when one of her regular partners cancels. While Kelly is upstairs, two men break into Mr. Paradise's mansion, killing both he and Chloe.
Before the police arrive, Montez Taylor, Paradiso's caretaker who was with Kelly at the time of the murders, convinces her to feign shock and switch identities with the deceased Chloe. This switch arouses the suspicion of Detroit homicide cop Frank Delsa, for Chloe and Kelly are not as physically similar as Montez believes.
Delsa's suspicions are confirmed by Kelly herself, who reveals that Montez engineered the sham in a vain attempt to obtain whatever Mr. Paradise had left Chloe in his will. As such, Montez becomes the principle suspect in the case. From here, Delsa proceeds to gather trace amounts of evidence from other crimes in the area, which range from a trio of mutilated gang members to the death of a McDonald's manager.
While searching for the killers, Delsa and Kelly somehow find time to pursue a romantic relationship. This comes as a welcome change to Frank, despite the ethical implications, for he lost his wife to cancer the previous year and had become somewhat of a loner. Even so, it seems a rather unbelievable pairing, due to the short time frame in which the story unfolds. As such, the relationship that develops resembles a month-long courtship more than one of several days.
Delsa and Kelly's liaison seems even more unrealistic when compared to the characters themselves. While the supporting cast depicts Frank as a man still grieving over the loss of a loved one, he effortlessly develops an interest in a young woman he just met.
The romance doesn't seem to fit Kelly's personality either. As a lingerie model, one would assume that she possesses a strong, independent sense of self and would not commit to a relationship so easily. Even so, Kelly lacks depth and emotional range possessed by Elmore's previous female leads. Simply put, she functions more as a plot device than a three-dimensional character.
Although Kelly's function diminishes toward the middle of the novel, the viewpoint shifts often enough that the other characters can hold readers' attention. Bouncing between characters' narrations can be a challenge to the overall pace of the novel. Leonard handles this with ease, gracefully transitioning within and between scenes.
Such a technique allows the author to fully exploit his mastery of dialogue. Characters' words are witty and crisp, sounding more like the vernacular and less like a writer's flowery prose. More importantly, excising long monologues keeps up the pace, and therefore holds the reader's attention.
In that respect, it is not the investigation and solving of the crime which is crucial. An oscillating viewpoint and comprehendible dialogue reveal the evidence and culprit to the reader long before he reaches the back cover. Instead, it is how these criminals will falter and reveal themselves that captures one's interest.
These mistakes also provide an element of humor to the novel. From snappy one-liners to sheer stupidity to darkly comedic moments, there is a subtle lightheartedness running across the pages. In that respect, "Mr. Paradise" is not really a crime novel at heart, but an entertaining amalgamation of genres.
And yet in spite of the ridiculous combination of literary classes, unusual characters and bizarre plot points, there is a remarkable amount of realism and plausibility. The quirks and flaws of the characters are what truly drive this point home. A reader can recognize a part of these characters within themselves or those around them. This bond engenders a genuine interest in the fate of these fictional individuals.
While this is not Elmore Leonard's best work, it is far from the bottom of the barrel. "Mr. Paradise" is a quick and easy read guaranteed to entertain. Providing, of course, one can overlook the intriguing (or insulting) image of a half-naked cheerleader on the cover.
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