When the Women Come Out to Dance is a collection of 9 short stories from
Elmore Leonard.
The story from which the book takes its title from tells of Mrs Mahmood who hires a personal maid Lourdes with the intention of getting her help in disposing of her rich husband. Mrs Mahmood, a former stripper gets her wish but ends up being in the power of Lourdes and her Colombian friends.
My favourite story however is
Tenkiller, the last tale in the book. It tells off Ben Webster, former world champion bull rider and stuntman who returns to his hometown after the recent death of his live-in girlfriend. Upon returning home, Ben finds himself in a confrontation with a family of thugs who have taken over his home. Ben Tenkiller, as he is known in Hollywood, embarks on getting back his home with the help of his friends and an old girlfriend, Denise whom he never forgot.
Fans of the character
Karen Sisco, the female lead in the
Karen Sisco television series, might find
Karen Makes Out of interest. This story tells of how
Karen Sisco inadvertently becomes embroiled in an
investigation to catch a bank robber when she becomes involved with the chief suspect.
The other tales in the book includes an investigation into a possible insurance fraud attempt in
Sparks, 2 residents of a retirement village getting together during their last days in
Hanging Out at the Buena Vista, how a retired baseball player gets himself hired on as a celebrity host in
Chickasaw Charlie Hoke, the confrontation between 2 old friends on different sides of the law in
Fire in the Hole, racial prejudice in
Hurrah for Capt. Early and a would-be cattle thief's good deed in
The Tonto Woman.