Elmore Leonard, a former adman who later became one of America's foremost crime writers, has died. He was 87.
His researcher, Gregg Sutter, says Elmore died today morning from complications from a stroke.
Leonard's books were populated by pathetic schemers, clever con men and casual killers. Many of the novels notably "Out of Sight," "Get Shorty" and "Be Cool" were made into films. Critics adored his simple, direct language.
More recently, he served as executive producer of the FX drama "Justified," which featured US Marshal Raylan Givens, a recurring Leonard character.
Earlier in his career, the man known to friends as "Dutch" wrote Western novels and stories, but his major commercial success didn't come until the 1980s.
