Peter Leonard: Elmore Leonard’s son to complete his father’s last novel

Elmore Leonard’s son Peter has said he hopes to complete his father’s last novel.

Elmore Leonard, whose books included Get Shorty and Out of Sight, died aged 87 on Tuesday after suffering a stroke.

The author did not finish his 46th novel Blue Dreams.

Peter Leonard, also an author, told BBC Radio 4 he had talked to other family members about completing it.

Elmore Leonard’s funeral was held in the author’s home town of Birmingham, Michigan, on Saturday.

Blue Dreams was to have featured the Stetson-wearing US marshal Raylan Givens, who has appeared in a string of Elmore Leonard’s stories.

In an interview with Radio 4’s Broadcasting House that was aired on Sunday, presenter Paddy O’Connell asked Peter Leonard whether he would finish the book.

“I would, I think so,” he replied.

“It’s been discussed among family members and I’ve talked to Greg Sutter, Elmore’s longtime researcher.”

Peter Leonard added that he did not know how many pages his father had written.

At the funeral, another son, Bill Leonard, told mourners: “Everyone knows that Elmore was a great writer. But only a few of us know that he was a great father – funny, patient and incredibly generous.”

As well as the order of service, attendees were given a small card listing Elmore Leonard’s famous 10 Rules of Writing, which include “never open a book with weather” and “try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip”.

Following the service, Leonard, who served as a Navy seaman during World War II, was given military honors, which included the playing of taps and a flag-folding ceremony, according to the Associated Press news agency.