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The Doll Series #2
The Wheel of Doll
The eponymous and hapless detective Happy Doll returns with a new philosophy and a new case in this second installment of a series “that's a tightly coiled double helix of offbeat humor and unflinching violence” (NYTBR)
Although badly scarred and down to his last kidney after the previous caper, Happy Doll is back in business. When a beguiling young woman turns up at his door, it’s Doll’s past that comes knocking. Mary DeAngelo is searching for her estranged mother, Ines Candle—a singular and troubled woman Doll once loved. The last he’d seen her she’d been near-death: arms slit like envelopes. Although she survived the episode, she vanished shortly thereafter. Now, years later, Mary claims Ines is alive and has recently made contact—messaging her on Facebook and calling her from a burner phone—only to disappear once again. Although his psychoanalyst would discourage it, Doll takes the case, desperate to see Ines again. But as the investigation deepens, there are questions he can’t shake. What’s led the flighty Ines to reappear? Is Mary only relaying half the truth? And who is Mary’s strange and mysterious husband?
In this wholly original follow-up to A MAN NAMED DOLL, Happy travels through L.A., Washington, Oregon and back again—a journey that gets wilder and woolier with each turn. An irreverent and inventive mystery, THE WHEEL OF DOLL is not to be missed.
Although badly scarred and down to his last kidney after the previous caper, Happy Doll is back in business. When a beguiling young woman turns up at his door, it’s Doll’s past that comes knocking. Mary DeAngelo is searching for her estranged mother, Ines Candle—a singular and troubled woman Doll once loved. The last he’d seen her she’d been near-death: arms slit like envelopes. Although she survived the episode, she vanished shortly thereafter. Now, years later, Mary claims Ines is alive and has recently made contact—messaging her on Facebook and calling her from a burner phone—only to disappear once again. Although his psychoanalyst would discourage it, Doll takes the case, desperate to see Ines again. But as the investigation deepens, there are questions he can’t shake. What’s led the flighty Ines to reappear? Is Mary only relaying half the truth? And who is Mary’s strange and mysterious husband?
In this wholly original follow-up to A MAN NAMED DOLL, Happy travels through L.A., Washington, Oregon and back again—a journey that gets wilder and woolier with each turn. An irreverent and inventive mystery, THE WHEEL OF DOLL is not to be missed.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2022
73 people are currently reading
3366 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Ames
41 books771 followersJonathan Ames is an American author who has written a number of novels and comic memoirs, and is the creator of two television series, Bored to Death (HBO) and Blunt Talk (STARZ). In the late '90s and early 2000s, he was a columnist for the New York Press for several years, and became known for self-deprecating tales of his sexual misadventures. He also has a long-time interest in boxing, appearing occasionally in the ring as "The Herring Wonder".
Two of his novels have been adapted into films: The Extra Man in 2010, and You Were Never Really Here in 2017. Ames was a co-screenwriter of the former and an executive producer of the latter.
Two of his novels have been adapted into films: The Extra Man in 2010, and You Were Never Really Here in 2017. Ames was a co-screenwriter of the former and an executive producer of the latter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
March 4, 2023
“One of my flaws is that I’m a great one for asking questions, but I’m mediocre to poor at answers.” (2.5 stars)
THE WHEEL OF DOLL is the second novel chronicling the adventures of private investigator Happy Doll. I enjoyed the first book, A MAN NAMED DOLL, quite a bit. This one left me feeling empty. The text starts out with a fun noir feel. The daughter of an old flame asks Happy to find her junkie, homeless mother. In the first novel, and in the first part of this one, I loved Happy’s “voice." Witty and self-deprecating. But then that “voice’ seems to disappear as the author gets caught up in one ridiculousness after another. At this point in the novel, the text seems to lose its voice and its rhythm, and it never regains it. It just descends into violence upon more violence. Barreling along violently to its abrupt conclusion. The book is only 216 pages, so it comes up quick.
Part II in this novel is not at all plausible. This is often the case in the genre of crime fiction, but in this instance it is not only implausible, but it feels implausible as well.
Some lines I liked:
• “…feeling that wonderful alchemy of the cannabis and the caffeine- you’re ready to go somewhere but don’t care too much if you make it.”
• “Usually I’m quite good at lying- I have a knack for it after a lifetime of self-deception…”
• “…but they were certainly beautiful, sleek and elegant, like they had never defecated in their lives…”
I really enjoyed chapter 8 with its focus on the protagonists’ dog, eating, and reading. It was one of my favorite bits of the novel, probably because I connected with it on all three of those levels.
I did not mind this book, I just went into it hoping for more than it could give. If Mr. Ames writes a third novel about Happy Doll, I may get to it. But I won’t be looking for it, like I did this one.
THE WHEEL OF DOLL is the second novel chronicling the adventures of private investigator Happy Doll. I enjoyed the first book, A MAN NAMED DOLL, quite a bit. This one left me feeling empty. The text starts out with a fun noir feel. The daughter of an old flame asks Happy to find her junkie, homeless mother. In the first novel, and in the first part of this one, I loved Happy’s “voice." Witty and self-deprecating. But then that “voice’ seems to disappear as the author gets caught up in one ridiculousness after another. At this point in the novel, the text seems to lose its voice and its rhythm, and it never regains it. It just descends into violence upon more violence. Barreling along violently to its abrupt conclusion. The book is only 216 pages, so it comes up quick.
Part II in this novel is not at all plausible. This is often the case in the genre of crime fiction, but in this instance it is not only implausible, but it feels implausible as well.
Some lines I liked:
• “…feeling that wonderful alchemy of the cannabis and the caffeine- you’re ready to go somewhere but don’t care too much if you make it.”
• “Usually I’m quite good at lying- I have a knack for it after a lifetime of self-deception…”
• “…but they were certainly beautiful, sleek and elegant, like they had never defecated in their lives…”
I really enjoyed chapter 8 with its focus on the protagonists’ dog, eating, and reading. It was one of my favorite bits of the novel, probably because I connected with it on all three of those levels.
I did not mind this book, I just went into it hoping for more than it could give. If Mr. Ames writes a third novel about Happy Doll, I may get to it. But I won’t be looking for it, like I did this one.
November 27, 2022
Happy Doll.
This is the name of a former police detective turned investigator in a moody Hollywood setting.
Really. However, this Doll aint playin’ because despite his name, Happy Doll is scrappy, street smart, and able to see over his back shoulder.
Run down bars and shadowed streets gave this a noir feel as we follow Doll’s investigation into the disappearance of a young woman’s mother.
I loved the writing which reminded me of the dimly lit and smoky movies my mom used to watch. Or maybe it was the subject matter that had me recalling those images. In any case, the atmosphere and a unique hero had me cheering for this book.
I appreciate the opportunity to read this and thank Jonathan Ames, Mulholland Books and Novel Suspects for my beautiful complimentary hardback copy.
Available now at AbeBooks, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Book Depository.
This is the name of a former police detective turned investigator in a moody Hollywood setting.
Really. However, this Doll aint playin’ because despite his name, Happy Doll is scrappy, street smart, and able to see over his back shoulder.
Run down bars and shadowed streets gave this a noir feel as we follow Doll’s investigation into the disappearance of a young woman’s mother.
I loved the writing which reminded me of the dimly lit and smoky movies my mom used to watch. Or maybe it was the subject matter that had me recalling those images. In any case, the atmosphere and a unique hero had me cheering for this book.
I appreciate the opportunity to read this and thank Jonathan Ames, Mulholland Books and Novel Suspects for my beautiful complimentary hardback copy.
Available now at AbeBooks, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Book Depository.
April 22, 2023
Superb quirky private investigator fun. A terrific sequel to the brilliant first entry in the “Happy Doll” series (?) - will there be future entries? Man. I sure hope so.
Happy smokes more dope, snorts his weight in purloined cocaine and engages in gunplay often and is frequently injured by assorted villains requiring hospital stays and pain. Much pain. And it’s all told in a thoroughly engaging, good-humored manner. The dialogue simply crackles with witticisms.
This page-burning, super fast moving entry in the private eye genre, features an absolutely reader-accessible hero and a high body count.
5 out of 5 and recommended for fans of Lew Archer, Philip Marlowe, P. G. Sturges’ Shortcut Man novels and any other glib and put-upon private dicks.
Happy smokes more dope, snorts his weight in purloined cocaine and engages in gunplay often and is frequently injured by assorted villains requiring hospital stays and pain. Much pain. And it’s all told in a thoroughly engaging, good-humored manner. The dialogue simply crackles with witticisms.
This page-burning, super fast moving entry in the private eye genre, features an absolutely reader-accessible hero and a high body count.
5 out of 5 and recommended for fans of Lew Archer, Philip Marlowe, P. G. Sturges’ Shortcut Man novels and any other glib and put-upon private dicks.
February 8, 2024
Rating: 4.50
I felt compelled to read the second in this series having thoroughly enjoyed A Man Named Doll since Happy Doll is the antithesis of the P.I. stereotype. Instead of the 'hero' that is unscathed from 'battlegrounds', Happy surfaces damaged yet determined and with this book, he's managed to face death in the face of adversity.
Months after his debacle in the first book, Happy's disfigured face from slashes received during a battle are healing and he's turned to a strange combination of therapies; Buddhism, pot, tequila and pill popping which is something rarely found with ex-cops. To further his unusual profile, his first love is his half-terrier, half-chihuahua, George.
Working out a closet-sized office in LA, a lovely young thing named Mary DeAngleo wants him to find her mother Ines who was last seen in Olympia, WA. A long time heroin addict, Ines had made contact with Mary on Facebook where she infers the possibility of an inheritance, a surprise if there ever was one. Happy's suspicion rises since he and Ines were past lovers; the substantial sum offered sealed the deal.
Like all good PI plots, a labyrinth of lies, deceit, prostitution, drugs, fights and deception are woven into the story deepening reader engagement. Ames does an excellent job with pacing through use of concise narrative, short chapters, minimal dialog and a host of unusual characters.
There's little doubt Happy Doll is one of the most unique detective characters I've encountered and am hoping Ames will continue the series. Highly recommended for those who enjoy fast paced mystery, detectives and oddball characters which in my opinion are the perfect combination for this genre
I felt compelled to read the second in this series having thoroughly enjoyed A Man Named Doll since Happy Doll is the antithesis of the P.I. stereotype. Instead of the 'hero' that is unscathed from 'battlegrounds', Happy surfaces damaged yet determined and with this book, he's managed to face death in the face of adversity.
Months after his debacle in the first book, Happy's disfigured face from slashes received during a battle are healing and he's turned to a strange combination of therapies; Buddhism, pot, tequila and pill popping which is something rarely found with ex-cops. To further his unusual profile, his first love is his half-terrier, half-chihuahua, George.
Working out a closet-sized office in LA, a lovely young thing named Mary DeAngleo wants him to find her mother Ines who was last seen in Olympia, WA. A long time heroin addict, Ines had made contact with Mary on Facebook where she infers the possibility of an inheritance, a surprise if there ever was one. Happy's suspicion rises since he and Ines were past lovers; the substantial sum offered sealed the deal.
Like all good PI plots, a labyrinth of lies, deceit, prostitution, drugs, fights and deception are woven into the story deepening reader engagement. Ames does an excellent job with pacing through use of concise narrative, short chapters, minimal dialog and a host of unusual characters.
There's little doubt Happy Doll is one of the most unique detective characters I've encountered and am hoping Ames will continue the series. Highly recommended for those who enjoy fast paced mystery, detectives and oddball characters which in my opinion are the perfect combination for this genre
April 3, 2023
Such a good series. Riffing on all the classic LA noir again, this was brilliant.
June 10, 2022
In the second instalment of this series by Jonathan Ames, we find P.I. Happy ‘Hank’ Doll still trying to recover from both the physical and mental scars that he accrued during his previous investigation. He is still sharing his bed with man’s best friend, George, his Chihuahua but is now trying to embrace Buddhism while existing on a diet of mainly fish, coffee and marijuana. When an enigmatic young woman, Mary and her mysterious husband approach him to try and track down her mother, Ines Candle, an old flame (pardon the pun) of Happy’s, he jumps at the chance. Seeing this as an opportunity to get back to what he does best, to earn some real money again and also to re-engage with Ines. He travels north to Olympia, Washington state, where Ines is now apparently homeless and living on the street. Happy tours the homeless shelters, soup kitchens and encampments in search of Ines but he can’t shake off the feeling that all is not what it seems with Mary and also her husband, Hoyt Marrow, of whom Happy has researched but can find no trace. Happy’s investigation eventually leads to a bloody showdown in a secluded compound near Joshua Tree in the Mojave Desert.
Once again Ames serves up an updated version of the classic P.I. novels of the past. Our protagonist, Happy fits the mould perfectly, as he is a good investigator, he’s tough, has a generous heart but he’s also flawed. He sets out to try and put his Buddhist beliefs into practice but before long he finds he’s got to resort to his trusty telescopic baton instead. He also tries as best he can to stay clean and not fall back into old habits but we soon find him snorting lines of cocaine or heroin and popping painkillers, mostly to dull the physical pains or keep him awake or put him to sleep. This tale doesn’t get as dark as the plot of ‘A Man Named Doll’ but follows more conventional lines of deception and greed although Marrow’s lifestyle is pretty dark and twisted.
A thoroughly engrossing thriller that totally sucked me in and which I blitzed through in two days but how much more life is there left in Happy Doll series ? I for one hopes there’s still plenty !
Once again Ames serves up an updated version of the classic P.I. novels of the past. Our protagonist, Happy fits the mould perfectly, as he is a good investigator, he’s tough, has a generous heart but he’s also flawed. He sets out to try and put his Buddhist beliefs into practice but before long he finds he’s got to resort to his trusty telescopic baton instead. He also tries as best he can to stay clean and not fall back into old habits but we soon find him snorting lines of cocaine or heroin and popping painkillers, mostly to dull the physical pains or keep him awake or put him to sleep. This tale doesn’t get as dark as the plot of ‘A Man Named Doll’ but follows more conventional lines of deception and greed although Marrow’s lifestyle is pretty dark and twisted.
A thoroughly engrossing thriller that totally sucked me in and which I blitzed through in two days but how much more life is there left in Happy Doll series ? I for one hopes there’s still plenty !
November 28, 2022
5/5 Outstanding
I first read ‘Happy Doll’ and Jonathan Ames last year when Pushkin Vertigo kindly gifted me a copy. I was blown away then by the darkly funny, yet somewhat desperate Happy Doll.
Fast forward 18 months, and with another gifted copy, I’m on repeat as again this gritty, almost poignant LA Noir absolutely hits the mark again.
Whilst not as bleak in content as it’s predecessor, it is full of dark times for the hapless Happy Doll as he searches for a long lost love when tasked by her daughter to find her.
It’s Harsh and brutal but in a very real way. A man who is probably a little bit lost, surviving life with his wonderful dog George.
Everything is great. The writing, the plot, the settings, the characters. I’m a huge fan.
It’s crime noir at it’s absolute finest
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
I first read ‘Happy Doll’ and Jonathan Ames last year when Pushkin Vertigo kindly gifted me a copy. I was blown away then by the darkly funny, yet somewhat desperate Happy Doll.
Fast forward 18 months, and with another gifted copy, I’m on repeat as again this gritty, almost poignant LA Noir absolutely hits the mark again.
Whilst not as bleak in content as it’s predecessor, it is full of dark times for the hapless Happy Doll as he searches for a long lost love when tasked by her daughter to find her.
It’s Harsh and brutal but in a very real way. A man who is probably a little bit lost, surviving life with his wonderful dog George.
Everything is great. The writing, the plot, the settings, the characters. I’m a huge fan.
It’s crime noir at it’s absolute finest
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
July 5, 2025
As enjoyable as the first book. Happy Doll is an anti-hero. He kills people, in self defence, and regularly takes drugs and gets beaten up. The plot devices aren’t clever but when you have a flawed character trying to do right, it doesn’t matter. These books are also a love letter to dogs. So if you like dogs and entertaining crime stories set in LA look no further.
September 29, 2022
***Goodreads Giveaway Win***
Why am I just now realizing I'm into LA Noir? I mean, it has everything I like: deserts, grime, grittiness, weirdos, down-and-out characters, fuck-ups. And The Wheel of Doll had all of this. Happy Doll is a character I'm excited to follow in upcoming books.
Why am I just now realizing I'm into LA Noir? I mean, it has everything I like: deserts, grime, grittiness, weirdos, down-and-out characters, fuck-ups. And The Wheel of Doll had all of this. Happy Doll is a character I'm excited to follow in upcoming books.
February 25, 2023
Ames’s second LA-based neo-noir starring a one-kidneyed, aspiring Buddhist PI elevates both the series and the genre. Happy Doll is a wonderful creation, an animal-loving, reluctant killer; a man who regrets defending himself, wants to do right in an ugly, seamy world, and values brief moments of beauty and light.
There’s a plot, the story is drum-tight, pages fly. The novel—like the first Happy Doll story—balances hyper-violence with an odd screwball affair. But that’s all secondary to Ames’s simple, beautiful prose and his keen observations into human nature.
A touching, incredible novel.
There’s a plot, the story is drum-tight, pages fly. The novel—like the first Happy Doll story—balances hyper-violence with an odd screwball affair. But that’s all secondary to Ames’s simple, beautiful prose and his keen observations into human nature.
A touching, incredible novel.
May 29, 2025
I’ve read two of Ames’ Los Angeles-set Doll series now and loved both. I’m not a big fan of detective novels (mostly just a series of interviews with more characters than I can keep track of relaying plot points I can never keep straight leading to a who cares? denouement), but Ames keeps things grounded, relying not so much on plot twists as character-driven action as he navigates skillfully between violence and world-weary tenderness. Also important to me, as an Angeleno, his geography is accurate and his place descriptions evocative. I look forward to reading the third one.
April 22, 2022
This is turning out to be one of the most unique, captivating, and above all emotionally engaging crime fiction series being published. Happy Doll—yes, that’s his real name—is 50-ish, ex-military, and a former LAPD cop who lost his PI license and now calls himself a “security consultant.” Yes, Doll has many of the noirish trappings of your classic LA detective, from his worn-down office to his status as a regular at a dive bar. But he’s also a fledgling Buddhist who’s in love with George, a half-Chihuahua, half-terrier mix, is in psychotherapy, and is incredibly generous to those he comes across—provided they’re not trying to kill him.
In this story, Doll is approached by a young woman to search for her mother, Iris Candle, who’s likely to be homeless. Candle and Doll, it turns out, were lovers years ago, and Doll can’t turn down an opportunity to see her again. After a week of searching, Doll finally locates Candle—worn down by drugs and years of living on the streets—and their reunion is one of the most poignant passages I’ve read in years. It also sets off the book’s real narrative, complete with some horrific, but highly entertaining, violence and a quest that brings Doll to the edge.
As much as I love Ames’ novels and comic memoirs, Happy Doll is his most innovative and successful character yet. Fans of aged, semi-hard-boiled, humorous Los Angeles detectives will also enjoy Andy Weinberger’s The Kindness of Strangers.—Brian Kenney
For more reviews of forthcoming Crime Fiction, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, First Clue: https://www.getrevue.co/profile/First...
In this story, Doll is approached by a young woman to search for her mother, Iris Candle, who’s likely to be homeless. Candle and Doll, it turns out, were lovers years ago, and Doll can’t turn down an opportunity to see her again. After a week of searching, Doll finally locates Candle—worn down by drugs and years of living on the streets—and their reunion is one of the most poignant passages I’ve read in years. It also sets off the book’s real narrative, complete with some horrific, but highly entertaining, violence and a quest that brings Doll to the edge.
As much as I love Ames’ novels and comic memoirs, Happy Doll is his most innovative and successful character yet. Fans of aged, semi-hard-boiled, humorous Los Angeles detectives will also enjoy Andy Weinberger’s The Kindness of Strangers.—Brian Kenney
For more reviews of forthcoming Crime Fiction, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, First Clue: https://www.getrevue.co/profile/First...
November 24, 2022
The first book was great, and that book brought me back to Happy Doll. If book 3 comes along, I will try once more, but this Happy isn’t the same guy I met earlier. More Dirty Harry, less ‘white hat’. Meh.
September 22, 2022
I read the first book in Jonathan Ames's 'Doll' series last year and absolutely loved it. The second book, The Wheel of Doll, has just released - and it delivers another additive read.
For those of you, who, like me, love hardboiled, down on their luck P.I. fiction, you're going to want to introduce yourself to 'Happy Doll'. Uh huh, that's his name.
The case? A beautiful young woman turns up at the office, wanting to hire Hap to find her missing mother. And her mother just happens to be a woman Doll once loved. You got it - he takes the case and immerses himself into the search.
The home setting is LA and I immediately get a noir feeling from the settings and characters - Hank's office, his occupation, (which is officially a Security Consultant since he lost his PI license), his home under the lights of the Hollywood sign, his knowledge of back alleys, encampments and the denizens those who call them home and more.
Happy's inner dialogue is wickedly sharp and darkly humourous. He acts on impulse quite often and doesn't seem to realize that he isn't immortal. He's quite likeable and you can't help but behind him. Oh, and his dog George is an excellent sidekick.
Another heckuva ride tale with a no apologies lead character. Can't wait for the next case!
Gentle readers this book may not be the one for you - this book contains violence, drug use and more.
For those of you, who, like me, love hardboiled, down on their luck P.I. fiction, you're going to want to introduce yourself to 'Happy Doll'. Uh huh, that's his name.
The case? A beautiful young woman turns up at the office, wanting to hire Hap to find her missing mother. And her mother just happens to be a woman Doll once loved. You got it - he takes the case and immerses himself into the search.
The home setting is LA and I immediately get a noir feeling from the settings and characters - Hank's office, his occupation, (which is officially a Security Consultant since he lost his PI license), his home under the lights of the Hollywood sign, his knowledge of back alleys, encampments and the denizens those who call them home and more.
Happy's inner dialogue is wickedly sharp and darkly humourous. He acts on impulse quite often and doesn't seem to realize that he isn't immortal. He's quite likeable and you can't help but behind him. Oh, and his dog George is an excellent sidekick.
Another heckuva ride tale with a no apologies lead character. Can't wait for the next case!
Gentle readers this book may not be the one for you - this book contains violence, drug use and more.
May 1, 2023
Back in the car, I did a big bump of coke, lit a joint, and started driving east to the desert, directly into the sun. I thought of putting on the radio, but it didn't seem like the time for music: there was a dead man in the trunk.
I look forward to the next instalment of Happy Doll lunacy.
I look forward to the next instalment of Happy Doll lunacy.
November 14, 2022
I stumbled across this at the library before I realized it was by the creator of Bored to Death, which I loved. Jonathan Ames is such a good writer. This story was compelling, funny, sad, and strange, all I want from a mystery.
November 12, 2022
What's your go-to genre? My tastes have evolved and varied, but I always return to crime fiction. There's just something about following a character through the process of investigative discovery that I find eternally appealing. It should come as no surprise then that I happily accepted a copy of The Wheel of the Doll by Jonathan Ames from his publisher. This follow-up to his novel A Man Named Doll promised to be an "...irreverent and inventive mystery...", so I knew I had to give it a read. I hadn't read the first book in the series, but I wasn't about to let that stop me from diving right in.
When we meet our hero, he is physically and emotionally scarred from his last case. All things considered, though, he's ready to hop back into the proverbial saddle. A man named Happy Doll probably doesn't have any other choice but to be optimistic. He's a private investigator who relies on independent cases for his livelihood, so he's willing to listen to the young woman who shows up at his door with an offer for a new investigation. He's not prepared, however, for the way this case will force him to reckon with his past.
The woman is named Mary DeAngelo, and she's looking for her mother Ines Candle. Happy instantly recognizes the mother's name as an ex-lover of his. The last time the couple was together, she barely survived an attempt at suicide. Happy is saddened to learn that her life didn't get better after that. Mary has been estranged from Ines for a while, but recently received a Facebook message that alleges to be from her. Mary's mysterious husband puts up the funds to pay Happy to find Ines. As he embarks on finding her, he's left with more questions than answers. Old wounds will reopen and new ones are sure to follow.
The Wheel of the Doll sees Jonathan Ames write a hardboiled private investigator novel that blends echoes of the genre's past while blazing a trail into the future. This is a small, intimate story that takes full advantage of developing the characters and the mystery with laser-like precision. Reading about this down-on-his-luck investigator reminded me of some of the great noir novels, especially as the entire book is set in the shadows of Los Angeles. Ames hints at some of the events that happened in the first novel, but this story is self-contained enough that I never felt lost. There's a sparseness to the work that makes it compulsively readable. I was hooked from beginning to end, unable to pull myself from the pages. The Wheel of the Doll is a novel that knows exactly what kind of story it is trying to tell, and Ames deftly executes it to its fullest potential.
When we meet our hero, he is physically and emotionally scarred from his last case. All things considered, though, he's ready to hop back into the proverbial saddle. A man named Happy Doll probably doesn't have any other choice but to be optimistic. He's a private investigator who relies on independent cases for his livelihood, so he's willing to listen to the young woman who shows up at his door with an offer for a new investigation. He's not prepared, however, for the way this case will force him to reckon with his past.
The woman is named Mary DeAngelo, and she's looking for her mother Ines Candle. Happy instantly recognizes the mother's name as an ex-lover of his. The last time the couple was together, she barely survived an attempt at suicide. Happy is saddened to learn that her life didn't get better after that. Mary has been estranged from Ines for a while, but recently received a Facebook message that alleges to be from her. Mary's mysterious husband puts up the funds to pay Happy to find Ines. As he embarks on finding her, he's left with more questions than answers. Old wounds will reopen and new ones are sure to follow.
The Wheel of the Doll sees Jonathan Ames write a hardboiled private investigator novel that blends echoes of the genre's past while blazing a trail into the future. This is a small, intimate story that takes full advantage of developing the characters and the mystery with laser-like precision. Reading about this down-on-his-luck investigator reminded me of some of the great noir novels, especially as the entire book is set in the shadows of Los Angeles. Ames hints at some of the events that happened in the first novel, but this story is self-contained enough that I never felt lost. There's a sparseness to the work that makes it compulsively readable. I was hooked from beginning to end, unable to pull myself from the pages. The Wheel of the Doll is a novel that knows exactly what kind of story it is trying to tell, and Ames deftly executes it to its fullest potential.
June 19, 2023
Absolutely adore the Happy Doll series. I'm a sucker for hardboiled novels yet bored by their casual sexism, and not always in the mood for retro vibes. This feels thoroughly fresh and modern, and the way Ames discusses masculinity feels absolutely relevant. Oh, and it's just such a good mystery albeit not always very realistic and at times insanely violent and hopeless. But it wouldn't be a hardboiled novel otherwise, would it?
September 14, 2024
I didn’t like the story as much as book 1 but the thing about a well-drawn MC/series lead is that they can carry the load even in books like that. In the best noir tradition things escalate, becoming worse and worse in large part due to the flaws of our “hero”. Unfortunately there was also an instance where he doesn’t see something that seemed obvious to me. I debated between 3 and 4 stars but since I went immediately to check if there’s a book 3 coming (there is), I’m going with 4.
October 7, 2022
Fun read. Have to love the one Kidney, Hank “happy” Doll
November 20, 2022
this wasn't for me - not much mystery, a lot of violence, and a main character I couldn't get into.
January 26, 2023
I didn’t like this quite as much as the first book but I thought it was very good, very dark, and I will continue to read anything in this series.
August 16, 2023
Like a typical unrealistic action movie. I got through it. Short chapters kept my attention but almost mad at myself for the time I wasted.
April 23, 2025
LOVED IT! very strange to read a book that takes place in partly in Olympia but it only added to it! good follow up to the first book and am excited to see where it goes in book 3!
November 11, 2022
Private detective Happy Doll emerged from his last case with facial scars and a missing kidney, but he's back on the job. The daughter of a woman he had once loved long ago hires him to find her mother. A lot of people get killed before the case is resolved.
March 31, 2023
(3.5)
Those coming into The Wheel of Doll from A Man Named Doll should have their expectations tempered: the titular Doll gets into a series of scrapes and tumbles and suffers damages that would have likely killed a lesser man several times older. Yet, for only being ten pages longer, The Wheel of Dolll is much more. Much heavier.
Nine months after A Man Named Doll, Happy Doll is going by his birth name and has embraced Buddhism. After a woman claiming to be the daughter of an old flame hires him to find her mother in Washington State, sentimentality gets in the way of common sense. Leaving his beloved George behind, Doll travels interstate and falls onto the wheel of violence and retribution once more.
The Wheel of Dolll doesn’t completely mesh with A Man Named Doll – the man is in dire financial straits despite the outcome of the previous novel – but it is thematically he appropriate. He has some of the same support network, but not all of it, and he is deliberately isolated from it for much of the book. He ignores multiple warning signs, and the narration constantly forebodes.
There’s an air of melancholy to both the man and the book that’s never quite shaken, and Ames dispenses with whatever light humour he once used to ease Doll through life: this time around, the man is pointed at his goal and woe betide whoever gets in his way. The Wheel of Dolll becomes uncomfortable quickly, Doll trying to fill a void in his soul that continues to widen as old wounds reopen. That with which he fills it – depravity, substances of all stripes, violence – are perhaps not what a therapist might recommend. But they get the job done for him. Until they don’t.
A torpedo of a novel, The Wheel of Dolll goes until it … stops. Those familiar with Ames’ earlier work – I Was Never Really Here in particular – may well be prepared, but it still jars. We don’t know where Doll can go from here, because at the end we’re left unclear where “here” is. Doll could still be driving through the night, but we just might follow his car anywhere.
Those coming into The Wheel of Doll from A Man Named Doll should have their expectations tempered: the titular Doll gets into a series of scrapes and tumbles and suffers damages that would have likely killed a lesser man several times older. Yet, for only being ten pages longer, The Wheel of Dolll is much more. Much heavier.
Nine months after A Man Named Doll, Happy Doll is going by his birth name and has embraced Buddhism. After a woman claiming to be the daughter of an old flame hires him to find her mother in Washington State, sentimentality gets in the way of common sense. Leaving his beloved George behind, Doll travels interstate and falls onto the wheel of violence and retribution once more.
The Wheel of Dolll doesn’t completely mesh with A Man Named Doll – the man is in dire financial straits despite the outcome of the previous novel – but it is thematically he appropriate. He has some of the same support network, but not all of it, and he is deliberately isolated from it for much of the book. He ignores multiple warning signs, and the narration constantly forebodes.
There’s an air of melancholy to both the man and the book that’s never quite shaken, and Ames dispenses with whatever light humour he once used to ease Doll through life: this time around, the man is pointed at his goal and woe betide whoever gets in his way. The Wheel of Dolll becomes uncomfortable quickly, Doll trying to fill a void in his soul that continues to widen as old wounds reopen. That with which he fills it – depravity, substances of all stripes, violence – are perhaps not what a therapist might recommend. But they get the job done for him. Until they don’t.
A torpedo of a novel, The Wheel of Dolll goes until it … stops. Those familiar with Ames’ earlier work – I Was Never Really Here in particular – may well be prepared, but it still jars. We don’t know where Doll can go from here, because at the end we’re left unclear where “here” is. Doll could still be driving through the night, but we just might follow his car anywhere.
September 27, 2022
3.5 stars for this very quick read. Three stars for a lot of violence and dead bodies and 4 stars for the readability of this LA Noir novel. The flawed PI (he apparently lost his PI license and calls himself something to do with security now) hero is legally named Happy Doll. I did not read the 1st installment in this series (I may do so), and his attempt at calling himself Hank instead of Happy clearly did not work out for some reason. Happy is a very engaging narrator. This first person technique with such violent activities made me think of the Parker series, which I loved. Parker's deadly activities were told in the 3rd person, and somehow it seemed a bit less immediate. Happy is an individual with a lot of feelings (unlike Parker, who was a hardened criminal) and thinks of himself on the side of justice. The reader comes away with different feelings about the violence. At least this reader did.
Happy is a very tainted man who is now attempting to follow buddhism, while doing drugs and ratcheting up the body count. He tries to justify his killing to solve the case and feels bad about doing it. But solving the case takes over and that's the way he rolls. I remember Jonathan Ames's (the author) TV show, and I look forward to more from him.
Happy is a very tainted man who is now attempting to follow buddhism, while doing drugs and ratcheting up the body count. He tries to justify his killing to solve the case and feels bad about doing it. But solving the case takes over and that's the way he rolls. I remember Jonathan Ames's (the author) TV show, and I look forward to more from him.
October 2, 2022
I didn't find a lot of offbeat humor such as was promised in the blurbs but Happy Doll, the non-licensed private investigator, is certainly quirky which I like.
The book is short and filled with Hollywood style violence, i.e., an older man that can take a severe beating and keep on going. He also is able to kill all those intending to kill him. It reminded me of a Liam Neeson movie. Keep that in mind if this goes to casting for a Netflix series.
Happy Doll in book two of a presumably forward moving series, is hired by the daughter of a past flame of his. This woman, Ines, is a known junkie and most likely living on the streets. As Happy gets closer, more thugs appear and beatings commence. Not to be deterred, Happy travels up to the Pacific Northwest and through the streets of the homeless in search of Ines. The plot is not original but perhaps the character's trying to latch onto Buddhism while constantly doing some serious drugs and killing people makes him somewhat more interesting.
Thank you to Novel Suspects Insiders for my review copy of The Wheel of Doll. All opinions are mine.
The book is short and filled with Hollywood style violence, i.e., an older man that can take a severe beating and keep on going. He also is able to kill all those intending to kill him. It reminded me of a Liam Neeson movie. Keep that in mind if this goes to casting for a Netflix series.
Happy Doll in book two of a presumably forward moving series, is hired by the daughter of a past flame of his. This woman, Ines, is a known junkie and most likely living on the streets. As Happy gets closer, more thugs appear and beatings commence. Not to be deterred, Happy travels up to the Pacific Northwest and through the streets of the homeless in search of Ines. The plot is not original but perhaps the character's trying to latch onto Buddhism while constantly doing some serious drugs and killing people makes him somewhat more interesting.
Thank you to Novel Suspects Insiders for my review copy of The Wheel of Doll. All opinions are mine.
December 4, 2022
Early in this book, our narrator (Happy Doll, an ex-cop turned private investigator/security specialist) notes that he's "become an armchair Buddhist," which relates to the book's title (which relates to the wheel of dharma). Happy thinks about karma and dharma and samsara, and co-exists with the ants in his sink rather than killing them, but (because he's a man of contradictions and this, like the first book featuring him, is very noir) he also does a remarkably bad job of breaking free from things like violence and vengeance as the story proceeds.
When the book opens, in January 2020, he's on his way to his office for an appointment with a woman named Mary who has contacted him to say she wants "help locating her mother". Mary, who's in her twenties, says her mom is homeless (and has been for about five years) and hasn't been in touch for the last few months. Mary says her mom is a junkie, up in Olympia, and then comes the kicker: she mentions that her mom was Happy's "girlfriend for a little while", more than a decade ago, before she left Los Angeles. This woman, Ines, was someone Happy loved deeply, though she was in a bad place in terms of drug use and mental health at the time. And so, despite advice from a cop friend who notes that "things with junkies never turn out good," Happy takes the job and heads up to Olympia to find Ines.
From there, well: to say that things go wrong would be a massive understatement. And while I saw some plot events coming from miles away, I was still totally caught up in the narrative, reading quickly and staying up way past my bedtime one night to finish this book. This book has fewer sweet moments with Happy's dog, George, than the last one—though there are still a few great passages/phrases, like when Happy talks about coming home and George being super-excited to see him and then says this: "and then he attacked one of his toys, pretending to kill it as a way to work through his good feelings." And there are fewer descriptions of lush LA scenery, though there are a few, and we get some vivid descriptions of other places (including Cannon Beach, in Oregon, and Joshua Tree) as compensation. This book feels even bleaker than the first Happy Doll book, which I wasn't necessarily expecting, and I'm curious about whether this series will continue and where it will go from here, if so. "I simply had to burn this whole thing down so that someday I could start again," Happy thinks to himself at one point, and there is definitely a scorched-earth recklessness to this book that feels quite dark. Which isn't to say I didn't like this one—I liked it a lot—but I think the next book I read is going to be something lighter/happier.
When the book opens, in January 2020, he's on his way to his office for an appointment with a woman named Mary who has contacted him to say she wants "help locating her mother". Mary, who's in her twenties, says her mom is homeless (and has been for about five years) and hasn't been in touch for the last few months. Mary says her mom is a junkie, up in Olympia, and then comes the kicker: she mentions that her mom was Happy's "girlfriend for a little while", more than a decade ago, before she left Los Angeles. This woman, Ines, was someone Happy loved deeply, though she was in a bad place in terms of drug use and mental health at the time. And so, despite advice from a cop friend who notes that "things with junkies never turn out good," Happy takes the job and heads up to Olympia to find Ines.
From there, well: to say that things go wrong would be a massive understatement. And while I saw some plot events coming from miles away, I was still totally caught up in the narrative, reading quickly and staying up way past my bedtime one night to finish this book. This book has fewer sweet moments with Happy's dog, George, than the last one—though there are still a few great passages/phrases, like when Happy talks about coming home and George being super-excited to see him and then says this: "and then he attacked one of his toys, pretending to kill it as a way to work through his good feelings." And there are fewer descriptions of lush LA scenery, though there are a few, and we get some vivid descriptions of other places (including Cannon Beach, in Oregon, and Joshua Tree) as compensation. This book feels even bleaker than the first Happy Doll book, which I wasn't necessarily expecting, and I'm curious about whether this series will continue and where it will go from here, if so. "I simply had to burn this whole thing down so that someday I could start again," Happy thinks to himself at one point, and there is definitely a scorched-earth recklessness to this book that feels quite dark. Which isn't to say I didn't like this one—I liked it a lot—but I think the next book I read is going to be something lighter/happier.
Read
December 14, 2022Happy Doll (yes that’s his name), is not like any other private investigator you could ever meet. Jonathan Ames has made him a most complex entity, and in book two of the series, we find that Doll definitely keeps dancing to the beat of a different drummer. And although he has lost his P.I license that does not stop Doll from accepting requests from clients.
His latest request comes from Mary DeAngelo, who comes to him to find her missing mother. Mary has a husband Hoyt Marrow, who does not seem to exist. The mother is Ines Candle, and another reason she comes to Doll and trust him, is because Ines and Doll were once lovers. The two lost touch many years back after Doll saved her life, when she tried to commit suicide. It does bring back a lot of memories for him.
But Doll is not without his own demons, as he is a slave to his drug habits such as cocaine. He has experienced his own brutal assaults and scars from his life, and he considers himself an “armchair Buddhist,” He does have a best friend name George, who happens to be a dog. It seems one of his few friends, because Doll does things his way, and barely asks for anyone to help him or understand him.
Doll does catch up with Ines, living in a sort of tent city. Trying to hunt her down, her has an altercation with thugs, and is badly beaten up and knifed, but it does not deter his determination to help Ines. He discovers she has lost both her legs as a result of her lifestyle and exposure to the elements. He takes her back to a hotel room, makes sure she showers and cares for her. Then when he leaves to go to the hospital to get his sliced-open leg checked, he returns to find Ines dead of a drug overdose. But he knows she did not do it herself, that someone came to kill her.
Doll begins his one person revenge tour, wanting to find Mary and Hoyt, but it becomes apparent there are those who do not want Doll to find the truth. He gets beaten up, shot and threatened more than many characters in mysteries, but his resilience and quest for the truth, keeps him returning for more.
The sort of noir feel to the story makes Doll a character you do not tire of seeing, as long as author Ames keeps showing this compulsive and doggedly determined side to him. This character is a keeper.
His latest request comes from Mary DeAngelo, who comes to him to find her missing mother. Mary has a husband Hoyt Marrow, who does not seem to exist. The mother is Ines Candle, and another reason she comes to Doll and trust him, is because Ines and Doll were once lovers. The two lost touch many years back after Doll saved her life, when she tried to commit suicide. It does bring back a lot of memories for him.
But Doll is not without his own demons, as he is a slave to his drug habits such as cocaine. He has experienced his own brutal assaults and scars from his life, and he considers himself an “armchair Buddhist,” He does have a best friend name George, who happens to be a dog. It seems one of his few friends, because Doll does things his way, and barely asks for anyone to help him or understand him.
Doll does catch up with Ines, living in a sort of tent city. Trying to hunt her down, her has an altercation with thugs, and is badly beaten up and knifed, but it does not deter his determination to help Ines. He discovers she has lost both her legs as a result of her lifestyle and exposure to the elements. He takes her back to a hotel room, makes sure she showers and cares for her. Then when he leaves to go to the hospital to get his sliced-open leg checked, he returns to find Ines dead of a drug overdose. But he knows she did not do it herself, that someone came to kill her.
Doll begins his one person revenge tour, wanting to find Mary and Hoyt, but it becomes apparent there are those who do not want Doll to find the truth. He gets beaten up, shot and threatened more than many characters in mysteries, but his resilience and quest for the truth, keeps him returning for more.
The sort of noir feel to the story makes Doll a character you do not tire of seeing, as long as author Ames keeps showing this compulsive and doggedly determined side to him. This character is a keeper.
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