Laughing dog: A Leo Bloodworth and Serendipity Dahlquist novel [Hardcover]

Dick Lochte (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1988

A Los Angeles Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin return.
"First, imagine Katherine Hepburn at fourteen. Next, in your mind's eye, replay Humphrey Bogart, at his middle-aged best, as Sam Spade. Now picture this oddest of couples as the newest duo in detective fiction and you'll have a perfect portrait of the memorable leads in Sleeping Dog."
--Los Angeles Times Book Review
Sleeping Dog (1-890208-51-5 $14.95) was nominated for every major mystery award. Now Leo Bloodworth (a middle aged grouchy P.I.) and Serendipity Dahlquist (the roller-skating, precocious, wise-acre teen) hit the streets again. This time they're looking for a runaway teenager and a pair of sapphire earrings--which cases may, or may not be connected.
..."hilarious and yet sympathetic...works beautifully and memorably."
--St. Louis Post-Dispatch

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lochte's debut in Sleeping Dogs attracted critical raves and an army of fans, beguiled by the orphaned adolescent Serendipity (Sarah) Dahlquist and veteran private investigator Leo Bloodworth of Los Angeles. The 15-year-old sleuth and her unwilling partner again take turns telling their stories about separate cases, eventually linked to one mind-boggling conspiracy. While Leo is in Italy on the trail of a jewel thief and being framed for the murder of a gang member, Sarah disobeys orders and helps a client, Terry Manion from New Orleans, trace his missing niece. Outwitting his attackers, Leo returns home to learn that Sarah has survived kidnap attempts and other dangers in her zeal to succeed at sleuthing. The complications and threats increase with every turn of events right up to the hair-trigger climax at a coastal nuclear power plant. There Leo and his friends from the police force race to save Sarah and her grandmother, captives of a criminal genius and his duped followers. The story is a mystery-fairy tale with deliciously humorous and touching moments that contrast sharply with the evil deeds of villains whose aliasesArchie Leach, George Kerby, etc.offer clues to movie buffs. Mystery Club dual selection.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Of Sleeping Dog: "A first novel that is original; that moves alertly along; that has considerable charm as well as action; that has believable characters and elegant writing; that has moments of high humor and some black humor; that has a plot well conversant with the amenities of the mystery story (private-eye division)." --New York Times Book Review "Outclasses, in many ways, the tales of Raymond Chandler, Ross Macdonald and other renowned California mystery writers....A corker entertainment, uncontrived and satisfying...Lochte deserves raves for his debut." --Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 395 pages
• Publisher: Arbor House; 1st edition (1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877959412
• ISBN-13: 978-0877959410
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,911,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

DICK LOCHTE is the author of a list of popular crime novels including SLEEPING DOG which won the Nero Wolfe Award, was nominated for the Edgar, the Shamus and the Anthony, and was named one of the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century by the Independent Booksellers Association. He is the author of the forthcoming crime novel, BLUES IN THE NIGHT and co-author with the Today Show's Al Roker, of the current mystery, THE TALK SHOW MURDERS. He had co-authored four popular crime novels with attorney Christopher Darden and has written screenplays for such actors as Jodie Foster, Martin Sheen and Roger Moore.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and well-plotted, September 2, 2004

By 

avoraciousreader (Somewhere in the Space Time Continuum) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Laughing Dog (Hardcover)

This is the second, and seemingly last, of a series featuring hard-boiled fiftyish cop-turned-PI Leo 'Bloodhound' Bloodworth and his quirky, nerdish 15 year old assistant (parasite, as Bloodworth might describe her) Serendipity 'Sarah' Dahlquist. As in the first book, the chapters are narrated alternately by the two (although there is no longer the pretense that it is a book cobbled together by merged publishers from two manuscripts), an effective Rashomon-like telling of the story in two distinct voices.

There are also two separate cases. In one, pursued by Sarah, a New Orleans investigator seeks their aid after another L.A.-area PI he had hired turns up dead. Bloodworth, meanwhile, takes the seemingly simple assignment of recovering a stolen pair of earings for an aging star, who he never actually meets, a quest that soon leads him to Italy in pursuit of the thief. It would destroy too much of the fun to detail any further how these cases work out, the perils faced, and the connections which gradually become apparent.

This book is a good read, interestingly plotted, but the ultimate scheme which ties the plotlines together is over-the-top silly. Serendipity is a particularly engaging character, almost coming to the level of Heinlein's Holly Jones (also 15, in "The Menace From Earth") as a teen girl-geek. I read this one first, but immediately went out and found a copy of the first volume, "Sleeping Dog", which is near the top of my stack.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRILLIANT, May 24, 2010

By 

Dawna Buchalter (Long Beach, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Laughing Dog (Paperback)

Dick Lochte is at his most brilliant in authoring "Laughing Dog."
While I did not think that he could top "Sleeping Dog" he has done so. While introducing new villains that you can practically reach out and touch, the development of the two main characters, Bloodworth and Serendipity, is even better. I would recommend this book to any reader ~~ Mystery buff or not! My only complaint is that I am having a very difficult time finding and buying his other works.