For more exclusive deep dives into classic crime fiction archives, subscribe to our newsletter. The next archive drop? A full recovery of the "Raylan Givens vs. Chili Palmer" crossover novel that Leonard abandoned in 2005.
The "Chili Palmer effect" can be seen in the many entrepreneurs and promoters who followed in his footsteps. From Jay-Z to Damon Dash, Palmer's business model and A&R expertise have inspired a generation of hip-hop moguls. chili palmer story archive exclusive
(ice cracking again) 1987. Vegas. I’m still collecting for the mob, but I’m already reading scripts in my motel room. There’s this old shylock named Morty. Heart attack in the middle of the sportsbook. Drops face-first into his own parlay card. Everyone scatters. But I don’t. I kneel down, turn him over, and he’s smiling. Dead as a post, but smiling. And I realize—Morty didn’t lose. He was up two hundred grand on a long shot the minute his heart quit. He died winning. For more exclusive deep dives into classic crime