Elmore Leonard is one of my favorite authors, so I jumped at the chance to hear a new recording of one of his audiobooks! The book is good, we already know that, but I believe the narration only made it better! Elmore's characters are always very colorful and eccentric, and Cary nailed them all!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard, Narrated by Cary Hite

Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch unfurls like a sun-bleached snapshot of 1990s South Florida—humid, dangerous, and laced with a wry charm that never takes itself too seriously. But listening to Cary Hite narrate it is like slipping behind the smoky glass of a vintage Cadillac driven by someone who knows exactly where all the dead bodies are buried.

Hite’s narration doesn’t merely recite Leonard’s clipped prose—it inhabits it. His voice glides smoothly between the weary intelligence of Jackie Burke, the shifty cool of Ordell Robbie, and the bone-dry menace of Ray Nicolette, without veering into caricature. There’s a knowing restraint in his tone, as if he understands Leonard’s golden rule: don’t oversell a line that sells itself.

Leonard’s genius is in making morally grey characters feel startlingly human, and Hite honors that with an understated performance that never rushes the tension or overcooks the punchlines. Whether it's a casual threat dropped like a cigarette ash or a moment of desperate self-preservation, the rhythm Hite keeps is pure jazz—syncopated, sly, and low-key hypnotic.

Where Rum Punch shines brightest as an audiobook is in the way it invites you into its morally elastic world and then dares you to pick a side. Jackie’s gamble, caught between law enforcement and the criminal underworld, crackles with quiet tension, and Hite’s delivery ensures you feel every micro-expression that would otherwise be read between the lines.

For those who appreciate crime fiction that breathes in the spaces between gunshots—and voice acting that gets out of the way just enough to let the characters speak—this version of Rum Punch is a slow-burn delight. It doesn’t just deliver the story; it pours it neat, over ice, with just enough sting to remind you you're in Leonard country.

Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch is an excellent crime novel, and the audiobook is a great way to enjoy his unique writing. The book is known for its sharp conversations and characters, and the audiobook makes these parts feel very real.

The story of Jackie Burke, a flight attendant who tries to outsmart both the police and her dangerous boss, Ordell Robbie, is perfect for listening. Leonard's short sentences and realistic dialogue sound even better when spoken. Listeners will get pulled into the clever plans and mistakes of these memorable characters, feeling every moment of their schemes.

The audiobook makes the novel's cool style even better, making the talks between Jackie, Ordell, and the tired bail bondsman Max Cherry more interesting. It's a wonderful way to appreciate how skilled Leonard is at writing crime stories, letting you fully enjoy the quick back-and-forth and the subtle game of wits. If you like good crime stories with strong settings and characters you won't forget, the Rum Punch audiobook is highly recommended.

Rum Punch is a smooth-talking, double-crossing novel. The plot? A flight attendant, a gunrunner, a bail bondsman, and an ATF agent walk into a South Florida crime caper, and each one believes they’re the smartest person in the room. Spoiler: they’re not.

Jackie Burke (the flight attendant I previously mentioned) is the kind of woman who can smuggle cash, outsmart the feds, and still make it to work on time. The dialogue is snappy, and the story moves as if it has a plane to catch.

Oh, and if any of this sounds familiar, it’s because Tarantino adapted it into Jackie Brown—same rum punch, just with a splash of Pam Grier and a killer, nostalgic soundtrack. And by the way, the audiobook narration def had that smooth-talking, slick feeling.

When I received Rum Punch from @netgalley and @marinerbooks (Thank you!!), I quickly read The Switch first in preparation. I’m glad I read it because it was also engaging and full of twists. However, I think you can certainly jump right into Rum Punch without reading the prequel. You may know that the movie Jackie Brown was based on this book. Elmore Leonard writes smart, fast paced, and twisting stories. Both books in this series have brilliant women who begin to open their eyes, embrace their inherent power, and plot to take control of their lives. These books are unique and well worth the read.

I received the audiobook through NetGalley and really enjoyed it. The narrator, Cary Hite, did an excellent job bringing the story to life.

The plot kicks off with Ordell facing a problem: one of his associates, Beaumont Livingston, gets arrested. Fearing Beaumont might talk, Ordell bails him out with the help of bail bondsman Max Cherry—then has him killed. Ordell, who is smuggling gun money from South America via airline stewardess Jackie Brown, runs into trouble again when Jackie is caught. Once more, he turns to Max to bail her out, worried she might betray him too.

These events unfold quickly and set the stage for a fast-paced, twist-filled story. The characters, all criminals with clashing motives, are fascinating to watch. The movie adaptation for this book is “Jackie Brown”.

This crime thriller is all about the tangled lives of a gun runner, a flight attendant, and a bail bondsman. Things get messy when the flight attendant gets caught, and she's forced to help the cops bring down the gun runner. Throw in romance between the flight attendant and the bondsman, and you've got a recipe for trouble! It's a fast-paced listen with plenty of twists and turns, and the ending leaves you wondering what happens next for the main characters.
Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for my unbiased honest review.

I don't know how I forgot that this book is the basis for the brilliant movie Jackie Brown. Elmore Leonard had the most powerful and humorous and interesting use of language, and every story he tells is a thousand times more interesting because of it. This is such a wonderful story -- the characters are so complicated, and always surprise me. Jackie is a flight attendant who ends up over her head, mixed up with some seriously bad guys, and the resolution is so clever and satisfying.
I was so excited reading this that I was trying to talk about it with the guy at the local independent bookstore and he didn't know about Jzackie Brown, so I am probably donating a few books to my favorite bookseller.
Thanks to NetGalley, I got to listen to the audiobook, and the voices were perfection.

Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch is the basis for Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown. It does not get more classic than Elmore Leonard when it comes to crime fiction and Rum Punch is no exception. Vivid characters and an exciting plot.

For years I wished that there was a Rum Punch audio version as I thought it would make the perfect soundtrack to a road trip. Cary Hite does a fantastic job with the narration on this classic story and I am so glad I got the chance to read it that way.

i was so excited for this audiobook that i didn’t notice it was the second book in a series. it didn’t matter too much and reads well as a standalone too. the narrator was amazing and conveyed so much emotion and emphasis throughout the novel. however, the content itself just wasn’t for me. i’ve heard of the author and was really intrigued to dip my toe into the crime drama genre but this one was not my cup of tea. the characters were difficult to connect with and the plot was really all over the place. i may have enjoyed it better if i was a bit more familiar with the genre, so those who enjoy the crime genre already will probably have a much better opinion of this book.

thanks netgalley for an arc of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review

3.25✨ I usually enjoy crime dramas and was initially excited to read this one, but it ultimately fell a bit flat for me. I struggled to connect with any of the characters, and the constant double-crossing started to feel excessive. Additionally, I found it troubling that a white author portrayed what felt like a caricature of a Black man, perhaps that was why the characters didn’t feel authentic. Unfortunately, this one just didn’t land for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy of this audiobook!

I didn't realize this was book two in a series but it didn't really matter because it worked just as well as a stand alone. This might be my first Elmore Leonard as well. Definitely will not be my last. Engaging story with interesting characters and a well laid out plot. The narrator also did an excellent job with the cadence and tone.

Decided to give it a go since this is one of my best friends' favorite authors. What I notice is that there are so many details in this book that didn't make it to the movie. Leonard writes dialogue the way I wish I could. It's masterful. While the subject matter isn't my normal choice, I was swept right into this story and enjoyed the quick pace and humor along the way.

🎧 Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this e-audio.