A Man Named Doll

· Sold by Little, Brown
2 reviews
Ebook
224
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

In this deliciously noir novel from the creator of HBO's Bored to Death, idiosyncratic private detective Happy Doll embarks on a quest to help a dying friend in a sun-blinded Los Angeles  as "quirky, edgy, charming, funny and serious" as its protagonist (Lee Child). 

Happy Doll is a charming, if occasionally inexpert, private detective living just one sheer cliff drop beneath the Hollywood sign with his beloved half-Chihuahua half-Terrier, George. A veteran of both the Navy and LAPD, Doll supplements his meager income as a P.I. by working through the night at a local Thai spa that offers its clients a number of special services. Armed with his sixteen-inch steel telescopic baton, biting dry humor, and just a bit of a hero complex, the ex-cop sets out to protect the women who work there from clients who have trouble understanding the word "no."
 
Doll gets by just fine following his two basic rules: bark loudly and act first. But when things get out-of-hand with one particularly violent patron, even he finds himself wildly out of his depth, and then things take an even more dangerous twist when an old friend from his days as a cop shows up at his door with a bullet in his gut.
 
A Man Named Doll is more than just a fascinating introduction to one truly singular character, it is a highly addictive and completely unpredictable joyride through the sensuous and violent streets of LA.

In this deliciously noir novel from the creator of HBO's Bored to Death, idiosyncratic private detective Happy Doll embarks on a quest to help a dying friend in a sun-blinded Los Angeles as "quirky, edgy, charming, funny and serious" as its protagonist (Lee Child). Happy Doll is a charming, if ...

Discover more

Ratings and reviews

2 reviews
Linda Strong
April 20, 2021
His parents really had a sense of humor. With the last name of Doll, they could have chosen so many first names. The one they decided on was .. Happy. Happy Doll, he is .. although he usually goes by Hank or Hap. Doll is an ex-detective, now working at being a private investigator. An old friend looks him up and wants Doll to donate one of his kidneys to him. Doll doesn't make a decision .. mainly because his old friend shows up at his house, with a bullet in his stomach. The old man was already dying .. why would anyone shoot him? Doll is determined to find out. In the course of about 24 hours, Doll kills several people and guess who the prime suspect is? I really wanted to like this one. The character was great in that the love of his life is a dog named George. I know there was a good story in there, but it felt smothered in all the graphic violence that felt gratuitous. The man suffered so many injuries he should have died at least 5 times. Having one of his kidneys removed .. without his consent .... and then a day or two after this particular surgery, he's up battling the bad guys. Being an ex-cop, I found his treating a crime scene like it was nothing, manhandling evidence, hiding evidence and lying to the cops just annoying. Coming from a law enforcement family, I always look for some sort of credibility to hang onto. Unfortunately .. I found none. Many thanks to the author / Mulholland Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. 2.5 STARS
Did you find this helpful?

About the author

Jonathan Ames is the author of I Pass Like Night; The Extra Man; What's Not to Love?; My Less Than Secret Life; Wake Up, Sir!; I Love You More Than You Know; The Alcoholic; The Double Life Is Twice as Good, and most recently, You Were Never Really Here (adapted into the acclaimed film starring Joaquin Phoenix). He's the creator of two television series, Blunt Talk and Bored to Death, and has had two amateur boxing matches, fighting as "The Herring Wonder."
Jonathan Ames is the author of I Pass Like Night; The Extra Man; What's Not to Love?; My Less Than Secret Life; Wake Up, Sir!; I Love You More Than You Know; The Alcoholic; The Double Life Is Twice as Good, and most recently, You Were Never Really Here (adapted into the acclaimed film starring Jo...

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.