Elmore Leonard, a former adman who later became one of America’s foremost crime writers, has died. He was 87. Leonard’s books were populated by pathetic schemers, clever con men and casual killers. And many of the novels — notably “Out of Sight,” ”Get Shorty” and “Be Cool” — were made into films.

In 2010, Leonard sat down with Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal to discuss his new release, “Djibouti” and why he’s drawn to bad guys.

Click on the audio player above to hear more.

The AP contributed to this report.