The Get

In this captivating, irreverent 1960s-set caper from Kalteis (Under an Outlaw Moon), small-time Toronto thugs Lenny Ovitz and Gabe Zoller make their living strong-arming store owners into paying protection money to their boss, Ernie Zimm. Having borrowed $200,000 from a shady boxing promoter to gain partial ownership of several slum tenements, Lenny and Gabe are stuck in the collections racket, evading undercover cops and fighting off rival gangs until they can pay off their debts. Their problems escalate when charismatic police detective Gary Evans tries his hand at seducing Lenny’s estranged wife, Paulina, eager for information that could help bring down Zimm and his crew. Determined to avoid an expensive divorce, Lenny starts planning a heist that will ease his money troubles and get rid of his wife once and for all. Smooth plotting, vivid characters, and sharp dialogue (especially from the rough-edged leads) bolster this darkly comic story, which Kalteis shepherds to a hugely satisfying conclusion. Fans of Elmore Leonard and George Pelecanos will find much to enjoy. (June)