I was surprised to find that there are quite a few books out there that are named for the malapropism that is 'The Elephant of Surprise'. However, it's a phrase that Joe R. Lansdale has used before in these 'Hap and Leonard' books and it isn't surprising to find it elevated to the role of book title. Currently, I have to point out, this is the final novel in the 'Hap and Leonard' series, though Lansdale seems to be enjoying himself writing about them again and he's already knocked out a short story collection and a collection of five novellas since 'The Elephant of Surprise'. The latter is called 'Born for Trouble' and I reviewed that in April.

What's interesting is how unlike its predecessor this one is. The twelfth novel was 'Jackrabbit Smile', a patient but firm nostalgia trip as a case takes our heroes back to the town in which Hap grew up. It's a good book, but it's focused on character rather than action, that being as applicable to a place as to a set of individual people. This one's a good book too, but it's also notably focused on action rather than character, almost like a pair of novellas linked together. It's very focused and tense, as much so as any of the books in the series, with only a brief respite in the middle.

In fact, almost the entire first half of the book is an episodic set of action scenes as Hap and Leonard, in typical fashion, stumble upon a situation and end up right in the middle of it. This time out, they're heading back to LaBorde from a surveillance job out of town through a storm even more apocalyptic than the one that wrapped up 'The Two-Bear Mambo', and literally drive into the plot or, to be slightly more accurate, the plot almost runs into them. Across the road streaks a young girl, not at all dressed for this sort of weather in T-shirt, shorts and no shoes, and, when they rescue her, they realise that her tongue has been partially severed. Someone tried to cut it out.

That someone is also right behind them, a pair of them in an SUV, armed with powerful weapons, and we're off and running. Of course, Hap and Leonard take her under their wing, and stick the course in increasingly trying circumstances. It isn't long before we discover that this albino Asian girl is also the key witness in a major trial and the bad guys working for the big bad guy are dedicated to killing her in any way possible before she can testify. The cops aren't up to the task of protecting her and somehow she knows that, so Hap and Leonard take on that role and we know how capable they can be.

The tension never really lets up for half the book. Even when the action slows down a little, with this young lady in hospital, being treated for her injuries, with a cop guarding the door, there's still a real sense of danger and a well-deserved one because these hitmen are not inept and they also have quite a few friends. I'm not sure what my favourite scene is here, whether it's one of a number of chases or one of a number of sieges. It may be the siege in the police station, which reminds often of 'Assault on Precinct 13', the John Carpenter urban thriller that was a remake of a classic John Ford western, 'Rio Bravo'. This isn't a remake of either but it plays in the same ballpark as both.

If that first half reads like a novella, then the second half does too, the two linked by a brief pause in the action. I've talked a lot in my 'Hap and Leonard' runthrough about how Lansdale took a different approach to the novellas than he did to the novels, which often feature a second half. This is very true to that, because there's an attitude change. Many of those novels featured our heroes stumbling into something and initially just dealing with the chaos. Once they do, often around the halfway mark, they take stock and actively decide to dive into the next phase of what's going down, usually an escalation of violence that's going to end up deadly for someone, probably quite a few someones.

And that's pretty much what goes down here. Hap and Leonard don't choose to start this story but it's fair to say that they choose to end it and it's as action-filled as any fan of the series might want, maybe the tensest and in-your-face entry of them all. What that means, though, is that there really isn't any room for the dark humour that pervades this series. Our intrepid duo do get to banter back and forth, because they can't not do that, but it's not as memorable this time, perhaps because they're feeling a lot older and a lot more worn out. Lansdale had them age throughout the series and they're not close to being the spring chickens they were and they know it.

There's also very little of the racism that has contributed so much to previous books. Many would not exist if it wasn't for the pervasive racism inherent in the small towns of East Texas, initially brutal and unapologetic in the earlier books and later quieter but just as effective. It doesn't come into play that much here and, even with the MacGuffin of the novel an Asian albino girl, it doesn't drive anything. It was clear from 'Jackrabbit Smile' that Lansdale was acknowledging how racism had changed so much in East Texas over the course of three decades but the absence of it here feels like a false message. If the author is going to continue this series, as seems likely, my guess is that the next book will take up that topic and give us a fresh look at what it's become.

I should mention that there are a few nods to previous stories. Reba, who Leonard memorably sees as a four-hundred-year-old vampire, gets some strong supporting moments this time out, which is great to see because I've always liked her character. Frankly, she gets more time than Brett, even though Brett happens to be both Hap's wife and Hap and Leonard's boss. I like the albino Asian girl a lot, even if she was always only going to be the MacGuffin. If there's a real supporting role here, it's the Hispanic cop who contributes much in a number of crucial scenes.

Mostly, it's pure and unadulterated Hap and Leonard action. If you don't want that, you probably have no interest in this series at all. If you've made it this far, it's an intriguing latest novel, just as much for what it doesn't do as what it does. As fans of the series, what it doesn't do is a number of things you'll see pretty quickly. What it does do is get in your face and stay there. What a wild ride this one turned out to be! And, of course, it's also the end of the road for me, at least for now. My runthrough of these 'Hap and Leonard' stories is up to date. I'll dive back in whenever Lansdale writes another one. I really should have started them sooner. ~~ Hal C F Astell

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