Justified: City Primeval

2023 • Crime, Drama • TV-MA

Having left the hollers of Kentucky 15 years ago, Raylan Givens is now based in Miami, balancing life as a marshal and part-time father of a 15-year-old girl. A chance encounter on a Florida highway sends him to Detroit and he crosses paths with Clement Mansell, aka The Oklahoma Wildman, a violent sociopath who’s already slipped through the fingers of Detroit’s finest once and wants to do so again.

Elmore Leonard's 'City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit' offers an authentic glimpse into the gritty, raw world of crime fiction. Leonard's masterful storytelling brings the vivid streets of Detroit to life, where characters are deeply developed, and the plot is woven with suspense and wit. Known for his sharp dialogue and keen sense of pacing, Leonard invites readers into a world where justice intermingles with moral ambiguity, presenting a narrative that grips you from the first page and refuses to let go. While the TV series presents a visually compelling version of Leonard's work, reading the source novel provides a more intimate experience. The book allows you to delve into the inner thoughts of the characters, explore the richness of Leonard's narrative style, and lose yourself in the intricacies of his storytelling. The depth of detail and understanding that comes from reading the novel outmatches the viewing experience, offering literary pleasures that television cannot duplicate. For those who appreciate the art of crime fiction, reading 'City Primeval' is a journey well worth taking.