Maximum Bob (1998) - Elmore Leonard

December 28, 1990

MAXIMUM BOB

Novel by Elmore Leonard

Synopsis by Brian Aldrich

KATHY DIAZ BAKER is a Florida probation officer, Cuban by heritage, divorced by choice, and bored with her job. Her newest case, DALE CROWE JUNIOR, fresh out of jail, has committed another felony before even reporting to her. He has hit a police officer and has been brought before the hanging judge BOB ISOM GIBBS aka "Maximum Bob" who sentences Dale to serve the entire five years he had remaining on his sentence. Despite Dale's threats, Gibbs allows Dale a few days to handle his affairs before going to prison. Gibbs is taken with Baker and invites her to his chambers. He flirts with her, but she isn't interested. He tells her that his wife LEANNE has gone crazy and thinks she hears the voice of a black slave dead for 135 years. He appeals to Baker's knowledge of psychology and asks for her help. Baker is bored with her job so this interests her.

Gibbs contacts DICKY CAMPEAU, an alligator poacher, who is up for sentencing and makes a deal with him. Gibbs asks him to deliver a dead alligator to the judge's own house, but the alligator shows up alive. A cop, GARY, is able to finally kill the gator, but by this time Leanne has run away and everyone thinks someone is out to kill the judge. Meanwhile, Dale's uncle ELVIN, another career criminal on Baker's list of clients, gets paroled and goes to see his prison lover's ex-boss, DR. TOMMY, a junkie who lost his medical license and is under house arrest. He has a gay servant, HECTOR. Tommy offers Elvin 10K to kill Gibbs. Elvin, who hates Gibbs also, agrees and borrows Tommy's Cadillac and a gun. Elvin goes to Gibbs's house to kill him. Gibbs and Baker are out in the garden discussing his wife. Campeau, angry that Gibbs went back on their deal and fined him $500, shoots at the house windows almost killing Elvin in the kitchen and Gibbs and Baker in the garden. Now Gibbs is forced to take security measures which discourage Elvin.

Dale disappears. Elvin moves in with Tommy and brings along a whore name EARLENE. Baker is attracted to Gary who is following Gibbs's case. They develop a love affair. Earlene gets to Gary and Baker and they realize that Elvin is trying to kill Gibbs. Meanwhile, Campeau confesses to shooting Gibbs's house and the security is called off Gibbs. Leanne returns after Baker tells her Gibbs needs her. Elvin accidentally kills Hector and purposely kills Gary. Elvin kidnaps Baker and has her drive him to Gibbs. Elvin is about to kill Gibbs, Leanne and Baker when Leanne pulls a gun, shoots Elvin, Baker pulls her gun and finishes him off. Gibbs asks Baker to keep Leanne out of the papers by letting everyone think that he shot Elvin and agrees to help Baker become an investigator.

Summary Criticism: While the novel is amusing and well-structured, the copious amount of trashy characters is offensive and boring.

Maximum Bob (1998) - imdb

Elmore Leonard - wiki