Headlock (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a detective as hard boiled as a twenty-minute egg, and wisecracks as sharp as a new Gillette!" -- Dale Furutani, Anthony and Macavity winning author of the Ken Tanaka and Samurai Mystery series

"Barer is obviously twisted. `Headlock' is a hoot. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!" -- G.M. Ford, author of The Deader the Better, Last Ditch, Bum's Rush, and Slow Burn.

"Brilliant and hilarious!" -- Tony Fennelly, author of The Glory Hole Murders, and 1-900-DEAD

"Burl Barer's new action-packed novel had me laughing my ass off, gasping for breath, and cursing his talent!" -- Sparkle Hayter, author of Revenge of the Cootie Girls, and The Last Manly Man

"Sue Grafton on PCP -- clever, quirky, and often outrageous." -- Lee Goldberg, executive producer of the CBS series, MARTIAL LAW.

Product Description

A paranoid recluse lures private eye author Jeff Reynolds into a complex web of deception, conspiracy, and murder where delusions are deadly, and life after death can be hell. Several popular mystery writers, including G.M. Ford and Tony Fennelly, make cameo appearances in this clever and quirky adventure set in Walla Walla, Washington.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 234 pages
• Publisher: Deadly Alibi Press Ltd. (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886199094
• ISBN-13: 978-1886199095
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,387,594 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Barers Best Work Yet!, December 31, 2000

By A Customer

Having read every book by Burl Barer, I was not suprised that Headlock (his most recent novel) was well written and funny. I was, however, suprised by just how wonderful this book is, it made me laugh until my belly ached, it made me get all misty with nostalgia, it even made me miss my papa! An amazingly strong opener for what i expect to be a wonderful series. Jeff Reynolds, the main character, is both likable and human. Barer takes the reader down many roads as this mystery unfolds, all of which are worthwhile. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery, a good laugh, sleazy bars or pro-wrestling. I can't wait for the next installment!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The funniest and freshest mystery I've read all year, September 30, 2000

By	Cluelass (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

Jeff Reynolds is a true-crime author who lives in Walla Walla, Washington, and does a little private investigation on the side. In Headlock, he is hired by a reclusive and paranoid ex-professional wrestler to find out "if it's over." Jeff's first challenge is to figure out what his client is talking about, and the second is to decide what he's lying about. Meanwhile, he drops in on a local Mystery Writers of America fan night (where he chats with a few authors we all know and love), and he becomes involved with a beautiful young woman who may not be what she seems.

Jeff is the most appealing private eye since Archie Goodwin. In addition to laugh-out-loud snappy patter, he offers his thoughts on spiritual topics seldom discussed in mystery novels, such as the question of whether there are dogs in heaven. He doesn't immediately fall into bed with the luscious Randy Nussbaum -- not just because of health risks, but because he wants a serious relationship. And to add still another dimension to his character, he has some psychic abilities, which he avoids acknowledging because they are confusing and distressing rather than helpful.

The other characters are also highly individual, from a feeble old wrestler who beats Jeff up with his crutch, to the heavy-metal granny owner of a vintage record store, to an assortment of hookers, crooked cops, and other low-lifes who hang out at McFeely's tavern and the Pastime family restaurant. The plot is a twisty roller-coaster ride that includes a "black widow" with five or six dead husbands, white supremacists, and two kilos of cocaine, but don't worry if you can't figure it out--it's not that kind of book. It's the kind of book where you enjoy spending time with a fascinating and funny guy, having some extremely colorful adventures, and wishing there were more books in the series already...

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Book is Amazing!, September 6, 2000

By A Customer

Headlock is amazing. This is going to be one of those "cult classic" novels that becomes part of our culture. The private eye, Jeff Reynolds is 100% unique -- he is hysterically funny, but not a parody. The guy just gets off the best lines ever, and they are so darn deadpan that you can't help laugh out loud. The plot and characters are so well crafted that I found myself really caring about these people. most of whom are not in my social circle for sure! If you want to read a mystery that will keep you laughing and guessing, and ultimately wanting to read it again and again, I can't think of any book of this type better than HEADLOCK. In fact, I think I'll go read it again right now!