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By the Balls: A Novel by Dashiell Loveless
A family bowLing center turns into a scene of BLOODY MURDER ... An age-old CONSPIRACY is brought to light ... A revealing visit to a LUXURIOUS BATHROOM ... A promise of VIOLENCE at the hands of ANGRY BOWLERS ... A hot CUP OF COFFEE becomes a reckless young man's only friend ... A 20-foot orange extension cord becomes a DEADLY TOOL ... An OVERLOOKED CLUE is found embedded in shag carpeting ... A STRONG PAIR OF HANDS leave a mark where nobody was supposed to look ... A botched set-up ends with a VIOLENT GUNFIGHT ... A painful reminder from a LIPSTICK-STAINED cup ... A single .38 BULLET provides a gleeful release for a demented man ... An unlikely alliance reveals a WEB OF DECEIT.
Welcome to Testacy City, a seedy desert town where Ben Drake - a detective with a passion for small cigars and Old Grand-Dad and a weakness for women in trouble - is hired to dig up the who and why behind the brutal murder of local bowling hero Gentleman Joe Biggs.
Welcome to Testacy City, a seedy desert town where Ben Drake - a detective with a passion for small cigars and Old Grand-Dad and a weakness for women in trouble - is hired to dig up the who and why behind the brutal murder of local bowling hero Gentleman Joe Biggs.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1998
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Dashiell Loveless
4 booksDashiell Loveless is the pseudonym of writers Jim Pascoe and Tom Fassbender, who own Uglytown Productions, the company that published their first novel 'By the Balls' (1998).
Pascoe writes reviews and essays for Amazon.com and is a philosopher/author/musician.
Fassbender writes about pop culture and is interested in molecular biology, natural selection and biotechnology.
As for the fictional Dashiell Loveless, he is said to be a crime journalist for the Testacy City Herald-Tribune, for which reporting he has won a variety of awards. He is the author of 'By the Balls' and also a number of short stories.
Pascoe writes reviews and essays for Amazon.com and is a philosopher/author/musician.
Fassbender writes about pop culture and is interested in molecular biology, natural selection and biotechnology.
As for the fictional Dashiell Loveless, he is said to be a crime journalist for the Testacy City Herald-Tribune, for which reporting he has won a variety of awards. He is the author of 'By the Balls' and also a number of short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 11, 2018
No, I haven't been reading a pornographic novel ... it is a thriller based on a 10-pin bowling centre with the bowling balls providing a background to the first of the murders in the book, thus the title.
Told, in a hard-boiled manner, by detective Ben Drake 'By the Balls' begins with the death of world-class bowler Gentleman Joe Biggs, who is found in the bowling alley.
Drake begins the quest for his killer, working separately from Testacy City homicide detective Duke Washington, who, with his colleagues, continually gives him a hard time. Biggs' mother and widow feature strongly as Drake investigates businessman Jack Walker and finds that he is not all he appears to be.
Two further killings take place and the coffee-drinking, whisky-drinking Drake is beaten up more than once but he finally triumphs and, in a most unexpected ending, unmasks the killer and, happily, goes off for a little romance with Testacy City's Medical Examiner.
Told, in a hard-boiled manner, by detective Ben Drake 'By the Balls' begins with the death of world-class bowler Gentleman Joe Biggs, who is found in the bowling alley.
Drake begins the quest for his killer, working separately from Testacy City homicide detective Duke Washington, who, with his colleagues, continually gives him a hard time. Biggs' mother and widow feature strongly as Drake investigates businessman Jack Walker and finds that he is not all he appears to be.
Two further killings take place and the coffee-drinking, whisky-drinking Drake is beaten up more than once but he finally triumphs and, in a most unexpected ending, unmasks the killer and, happily, goes off for a little romance with Testacy City's Medical Examiner.
January 7, 2019
By the Balls
Nyet, this isn’t cock jousting into bitches’ billiard holes vice. Aforesaid, this tome is still a wild hair-pulling ride.
The always Reddy detective private dick goes into seedy places, seedier than Marseille or, say Naples quays. The artwork complements the scenery of hardboiled noir.
Protagonist sent on a quixotic quest approaches the fool errantry.
Readability is there … the Russian roulette alternates is worthwhile insight.
The readability is there from this West Hollywood bookshop printer not so far from the infamous North Hollywood shootout infamy.
Enclose gangster portraiture chills the balls off a brass monkey.
fine (̅_̅_̅(̅(̅_̅_̅_̅_̅_̅̅()ڪ fine 🚬
Nyet, this isn’t cock jousting into bitches’ billiard holes vice. Aforesaid, this tome is still a wild hair-pulling ride.
The always Reddy detective private dick goes into seedy places, seedier than Marseille or, say Naples quays. The artwork complements the scenery of hardboiled noir.
Protagonist sent on a quixotic quest approaches the fool errantry.
Readability is there … the Russian roulette alternates is worthwhile insight.
The readability is there from this West Hollywood bookshop printer not so far from the infamous North Hollywood shootout infamy.
Enclose gangster portraiture chills the balls off a brass monkey.
fine (̅_̅_̅(̅(̅_̅_̅_̅_̅_̅̅()ڪ fine 🚬
July 27, 2024
Attractive package, but don’t judge this book by its cover.
The inside is waaayy too proud of itself, aggressively juvenile, and not at all for people who have read the actual Dashiell—or any other legitimate pulp noir.
The inside is waaayy too proud of itself, aggressively juvenile, and not at all for people who have read the actual Dashiell—or any other legitimate pulp noir.
February 21, 2012
See my review for Five Shots... The same pretty much applies.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews