Well, once I decided to read this, I had to go ahead and watch the movie again, and then watch the next movie, and then go to the bookstore and try to have a conversation with the young clerk about how much I have always loved this genre. Even all these years after its original release, Get Shorty is still so fresh and unique. The language feels alive, the characters jump off the page, and the plot is so clever.
I got to listen to this on audio thanks to NetGalley, and they could not have found someone who could have done a better performance. I wish I could give ten stars out of five.

Chilli Palmer loses his jacket and the novel snowballs from there. The plot is so absurdly hilarious. The characters are amazing, the story is fantastic. While this is not my usual genre, I do love Elmore Leonard's writing style.

Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review

ARC copy, audiobook
Book: 4 stars
Narrator: 4 stars

This is a review of the audiobook.

If I tried to explain the plot of Get Shorty it wouldn't make sense. I still don't quite understand where the title came from. The blurbs you read are accurate, and the movie trailer appears to make sense (I haven't actually seen the movie adaptations of either Get Shorty or Be Cool). It's a true testament to the skill of the late, great Elmore Leonard that he could pull it off. Satire is difficult anyway, but satire with a plot as off the wall as Get Shorty's? Bravo, Elmore Leonard.

Bravo, too, to whomever asked Joe Mantegna to narrate the audiobook. His delivery was perfect, just the right amount of dry and perfectly able to capture the essence of the various characters, particularly the less-than-savory ones.

Of course, reading it now you also experience a sense of nostalgia. Have 35 years really gone by? If you wanted proof, wait for the section when Chili reveals the exorbitant cost of dinner for three with drinks at an upscale LA restaurant: $100. Total. A custom omelet cost about $20. *ROTFL* (FYI, $100 in 1990 is about $245 in 2025 money. For a good LA restaurant, I'd consider that a bargain. I'd expect more like $245 a head. At least.)

In short, Elmore Leonard is a legend and Get Shorty is one of his finest. If any aspect of the plot appeals to you, make sure to check it out.

I would like to thank HarperAudio Adult for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook.

Get Shorty is not only my favorite Elmore Leonard books, it’s one of my favorite books period. There is just something so compelling about Chili Palmer, the movie loving loan shark who is the unusual hero of the story. I first read it back in the early 90s and have read it well over a dozen times over the years. That doesn’t even count the number of times I’ve watched the movie adaptation, which is also great. The casting in the movie is near spot on and even though they changed the ending up a bit, it’s still great. Though, the actual ending in the book is better, but I understand how that might not have worked as well in the movie format.

Get Shorty sees Chili Palmer heading out of Miami in pursuit of a dry cleaner who owes some money, only to end up following him all the way to Hollywood, where while doing a favor for a casino Chili ends up getting involved with a movie producer and begins to learn about the movie business…which doesn’t seem all that different than the mob business. The subplot of Chili’s long running beef with Ray Barbone (aka Ray Bones) is fantastic. Great characters, some of the best dialogue around, and a fun storyline just make this a story I never get tired of. This new audio version is narrated by the incredibly talented Joe Mantegna and he delivers a great performance, and I ended up listening to the entire book in only two sittings. Whether you are already familiar with the story or if this is your first time, I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed. I’d like to thank HarperAudio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review an advanced listener copy of the new audio adaptation of Get Shorty.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1WGTGW3EKLX5W/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/get-shorty-elmore-leonard/1100615904?ean=2940193560562&bvnotificationId=ceb23ea9-1baf-11f0-b95d-0e08b84242bd&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/343845344

Tired of the Miami mob, loan shark Chili Palmer heads to Hollywood to collect a debt and finds a new hustle: the movie business. The novel combines crime fiction with satire of the film industry. The characters are hilarious and the plot engaging. I enjoyed the audiobook narration by Joe Mantegna.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.