Duncan Beattie (Fiction From Afar) 's Reviews > A Man Named Doll

A Man Named Doll
Jonathan Ames
Pushkin Press Vertigo

A Man Named Doll is the first in a new crime series written by Jonathan Ames. He is an author of 9 books, comic memoirs and the creator of the Bored To Death (HBO) and Blunt Talk (STARZ) TV series, yet even creating the former show, Ames stated that it was his “Holy Grail was to be writing crime novels”.

With this first slice of Los Angeles Noir he has certainly cultured a memorable beginning. It is quite evident that Ames is tipping his hat to the traditions of LA PI fiction introducing his main protagonist through a first person narrative in an approach reminiscent of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Yet there is plenty of flavour, quirks and unexpected moves in a novel that shows some light amongst the noir. The fact that his character is named Hank “Happy” Doll is a first indication that there will be a degree of humour in the novel. A former navy man and NYPD officer, Doll is now a private investigator.

A superb opening lays the scene of a shabby office in a less salubrious part of LA during the raining season where Doll is visited by one time police colleague Lou Shelton. The chain smoking and nicotine scarred former sergeant has had more stints inserted than he has fingers and his voice is "A toss up between a rasp, a wheeze and a death rattle." Many years before, when Doll was still a rookie, Shelton took a bullet for him in the line of duty. While Doll knows he’s after a favour, the request he makes is both unexpected and surreal leaving him stunned. Not being a particularly profitable PI, Doll has a second evening job providing security at a massage parlour. The first of a large early body count occurs when one of the masseurs is attacked by a meth high giant of a man. Our narrator comes to her defense, with accidental finality.

There is no slowing in the pace when later Shelton appears at Doll’s home. He's been shot and near to death. When Doll sees an armed stranger has followed him to the apartment he then tries to retrace Shelton’s steps, stumbling on another death and then causing another; yet all in the means of self defence of course!

Hank Doll is clearly a well-intentioned and sympathetic main character who loves his half Chichuhua half terrier George, has an on off (mainly off) relationship with Monica and feels a loyalty to Shelton. Yet you get the feeling his cards have been stacked against him and those good intentions don’t always bring beneficial results, particularly with bodies dropping around him. As the story settles we see behind the hard boiled exterior as we learn a bit of his backstory being raised with an unaffectionate father and then how he got into his current line of work while still feeling lost:
“At thirty-five, I quit the cops and life got a little better, I liked working for myself and Dr. Schine sent a lot of business my way. I was a functional alcoholic and pothead, and my love life was busy, though it was really like a version of that children’s book where the little bird – not knowing where he is – goes around asking all the other animals – Are you my mother?”
The narrative is fast paced and the sentences are elongated as Doll meanders from one predicament to another with actions that he would be unable to explain to his hostile former police colleagues. Like a delusional PI Philip Marlowe failing to reach an equilibrium between prescribed dilaudid and marijuana our new hero finds himself in mortal danger within a murky world of diamonds, dead men and kidney transplants. This is a real attention grabbing first novel for Happy Doll. The characterisations are strong however the best quality is that Ames manages to combine serious and grisly deaths with a sarcastic comical aspect so effectively. It’s an entertaining fast paced story that will at times make you laugh and at times keep you gripped. I look forward to more!

A Man Named Dog is released on Thursday 29 April 2021 by Pushkin Press Vertigo.