A short book about Happy Doll(!), an ex-Navy guy, ex-LAPD, trying to make a living as a private investigator and bouncer at a house of ill repute. It opens with him getting into a fatal brawl and then getting involved in something mysterious, having to do with his old friend who needs a kidney transplant.

Interesting little book, only about 200 pages, but it covers a lot of ground. I love the dark depressing story of Doll, who is depressed, suicidal and realistic, more than willing to let drugs help him make it thru the day. Some pretty funny and droll turns of phrases and it went pretty quickly.

But even then, there were some lulls in the action. I mean, if you cut out all the driving described in the book, you might lose another 50 or 75 pages! And wow, does the guy get the crap beat out of him! The only protagonist I remember getting more beat up is Charlie Hardie!

So it is a pretty slight effort, redeemed by some good phrasing and a sense of humor that strikes a soft spot for me. I'll give it 3.5 stars, rounded up and I'm willing to try the next one in the series when it comes out, [b:The Wheel of Doll|57577312|The Wheel of Doll|Jonathan Ames|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|90170688]