Karma Doll

De: Jonathan Ames

Narrado por: Jonathan Ames

In this darkly humorous detective story, plagued by death on his conscience, Happy Doll has committed himself to a simple, spiritual life; that is, until a tragic and brutal murder forces his hand and sets him back on the bloody path of retribution and justice.

After narrowly escaping with his life at the hands of a murderous Hollywood pimp, detective Happy Doll, bullet-ridden but healing, has landed on a remote Mexican beach. In a humble shack and with his dog for company, Doll settles into a peaceful idyll of Buddhist study. But then trouble, as it always does, comes to paradise. Doll is the witness to a murder for which he is framed, and now, with an expired passport and the Mexican authorities on his tail, he must sneak across the border back to L.A. by any means necessary, with the goal of bringing the true murderer to justice.

But it's not just trouble that expels Doll from paradise! His dark past reaches for him, like a hand from the grave, old enemies want him dead, including the Jalisco Cartel, and Doll, a reluctant instrument of mayhem, yearns to end this cycle of violence and tip the karmic scales in his favor. But how can he do this without getting blood on his hands?

Karma Doll marks the third installment in a madcap, bloody, and impossibly fun series, bringing us back in the good company of Happy Doll: a beloved, introverted anti-hero who has taken more hits to the head than a linebacker, yet still always manages to come out on top.

©2025 Jonathan Ames (P)2025 Mulholland Books

Non -actor narration

Ames' reads this first person novel like a memoir. No accents (almost) or different voices or attempts at women (not that that were very many).

Fantastic

The Doll series has been one of my favorite listens of the last few years. This was my favorite volume yet - so action packed, everything fitting so perfectly together, and the parts set in Mexico were so vivid and intriguing (the Jewish doctor, for example). I did think that Doll does some surprisingly dumb stuff, given his experience - walking into traps, etc. This might have to do with the book’s themes of karma, repetition compulsion in psychoanalysis, etc. but I would like to see him learn from the past (which wine to drink or not drink etc) in the next volume— which I already anticipate with bated breath. Also hope Ames can avoid use of deus ex machina. Overall this book is smart, fun, engaging, surprising, sympathetic, human, unpretentious - like the ideal dinner guest.

Love the whole series.

A satisfying ending for a fun and engaging detective noir novel series. Happy Doll is a lovable and flawed character drinking and smoking his way to solutions. At times that you feel sorry for him, but also reflects parts of the self. I love the imagery of Los Angeles and just wanted to continue listening.

Incredible!

I’ve read both books but decided to listen to the third book in the brilliant but very dark and violent Doll series because the author himself was the narrator. He reads very well and I just couldn’t stop listening. A dark and twisted tale that just keeps on accelerating with highly unexpected twists & turns, will listen to the next one instead of reading it. Absolutely the best audiobook I’ve listened to…ever.

Ames writing and performance keeps getting better!

I’m a huge Johnathon Ames fan. I discovered him from the HBO series Bored To Death. I love his personal essays as well as his fiction. Wasn’t sure I’d like his Doll series but it just keeps getting better!!

Clever, Dark & Funny

Jonathan Ames might be my favorite author. I was ecstatic to find his latest book Karma Doll was now available. I devoured it. Dark & Cleverly written with so many laugh out loud moments. I highly recommend this author and the Happy Doll series.

One of the best I’ve read in years.

For the love of God. Read this book series. It’s so well written so thoughtful. It is a Paige turner defined. Reminds me of how Stephen King the master or Raymond Chandler do it.