Customer Reviews

A Tight Lie

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Someone hammers Hollywood actress Holly Ann Cramer with a cappuccino machine, rapes her and murders her with six vicious stabs to her heart. Because the homicide is excessively violent implying a crime of passion, LAPD suspects the victim's boyfriend, all star baseball player Joniel Baker, who was ending their relationship but swears he did not kill her.

Joniel asks his friend private investigator Huck Doyle to investigate the murder as the prime suspect does not trust the police to look beyond him. Huck, who has a law degree that he does not use and is a licensed private investigator who has license that he does use when he is not sinking the putt on the PGA tour, which is frequently, reluctantly agrees. Complicating the case is a second victim also containing DNA that implicated Joniel. With the help of his disgraced father and his paraplegic brother, Huck begins to believe Joniel's claim he is being set up

The Doyle family makes this a fine sports mystery as the Huckster narrates the whodunit with a string of enthusiastic birdies about golf, murder and the collapse of society. His two relatives are total opposites when it comes to investigations; dad the ex LAPD cop says the end is all that matters while the brother the ex FBI agent insists the means is just as important. Although the inquiry is conveniently helped, sub-genre fans especially golfers will enjoy Don Dahler's delightful debut as Huck beats par for the course.

Harriet Klausner

Don is a familiar face if you watch any type of news. What is not so evident is his sense of tongue in cheek humor which shows through in A Tight Lie. This is a murder mystery that is a quasi golf survey course - much like Dan Brown's Lost Symbol is to the Masons - only this is more interesting and just as thorough with much less pages.

Don's golf tips and PGA tour background is elucidating and informative with insights that should bring more interest to those who follow pro golf. The tips are not so bad - particularly his hardest shot - which I practiced the day before I wrote this review and was able to actually reduce my score by a couple of strokes. You have to read the book to find out what it is. I'm not telling.

The descriptions of the bad characters are that they are unredeemably bad people but the vigilante nature of the chase was upsetting, left me no gratification, and doesn't have me convinced it was not justice. But it is a story and as a story it fit in, and was somewhat realistic.

The characters are carefully drawn and relatable to - all of them - and leave you with feelings for them. I am looking forward to the next Huck Doyle mystery.

P.S. I ordered a dozen copies to give to some of my golfing buddies.

Golf, guns, booze, and scantily dressed women will keep you rapidly turning the pages of this exciting novel. Whether he's trying to shave a few strokes off his golf game in order to keep his PGA tour card or he's being chased by Wiseguys while trying to prove the innocence of his pro baseball player, friend, Joniel Baker, PGA Tour Pro and Private Investigator, Huck Doyle is an enjoyable character. His actions and thoughts range from rough around the edges to witty and refined. Will he solve the crime, get the girl, and keep his tour card? Of course I can't tell you that, but I can tell you to hold on and enjoy the ride as you bounce from a wild, four-wheeling chase up a winding mountain trail to the pristine fairways and greens of Bel-Air country club. From the sophisticated company of the elite PGA tour to the bawdy, drunken ambiance of an L.A strip club. Whether he's firing from the 18th tee at Pebble Beach or from his Sig Sauer, I look forward to the next tale of Huck Doyle.
Don Dahler has scored an Ace in this excellent debut novel.

Michael Balkind

Dahler has written a good story, but if you love golf and have never been able to explain why you chase the little white ball with the stick, you will find passages that cut to the heart of that "love of the game." I can't wait to read his next one.
Cj

Read this book in less then a day and I loved it! As an aspiring tour pro, I found the facts about golf right on target and I was really enjoyed this book!!!

Huck Doyle, the golfer-private investigator in Don Dahler's debut novel, "A Tight Lie", is kind of a cross between Elvis Cole and Myron Bolitar, with a dash of Spencer thrown in for good measure. Golf and mystery nut that I am, I picked this little gem of a book up the other day with modest expectations. It didn't take long to be absorbed in the tale. The golf moments are not many but ring true and really don't get in the way of the who-dunnit. I am looking forward to the next book!

A Tight Lieis a highly imaginative and entertaining book. For one who enjoys both mysteries and golf, as I do, it is a very fast read and makes me eagerly awaiting Dahlgren's next effort.