Twelve years after his death in 2013, Michigan’s own Elmore Leonard has a current book for sale. Dubbed the lost novella, Picket Line conjures up the literature of labor strife reminiscent of John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath and In Dubious Battle.

The book was written in 1970. It ended up on the shelf due to complications over movie scripts. But the short book is now available…and worthwhile. Picket Line is the story of striking melon pickers in Texas led by Vincent Mora, a labor organizer and former priest. But his strike is paid a visit not only by the landowners, but by a militant named Francisco de la Cruz, who goes by the name of Chino. He is from California and is intent on being an outside agitator.

The story begins with Chino’s arrival in Texas, accompanied by his sidekick Paco R

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