2. The Hot Kid
What It's About: The newest work on the list, also one of the biggest departures from his normal fare. The Hot Kid turns the clock back and sets its roots down in Prohibition era America. It tells the story of U.S. Marshall Carl Webster and his ascent up the ranks of the Marshall's service. The novel focuses mainly on Carl's conflict with Jack Belmont, a wannabe gangster hell-bent on becoming Public Enemy Number One. The Hot Kid seemed to reinvigorate Leonard and it crackles with an intensity that he'd not quite reached in recent works. A novel full of real life gangsters, molls, tommy guns, bank robberies and death, it's not soon forgotten.
Why It Should Be Adapted: I can't figure out why we haven't seen this one yet. If you take a look at the success of shows like Boardwalk Empire and our undying fascination with gangsters, this would seem like a no-brainer. Some may even consider this a prequel of sorts to Leonard's other stories featuring the U.S. Marshall's Service -- and we all know how well Justified turned out. Anthony Mackie is a dead ringer for Carl Webster (seriously, this guy needs to be in A LOT more stuff) and I'd love to see someone like Michael Pitt play Jack Belmont. Heck, Leonard has written another novel and other stories featuring Carl Webster -- this could turn into the next great television series. There are lots of roles to fill, real life gangsters would be recurring characters, this could and WOULD work.