A Tight Lie

By Don Dahler

Huck Doyle is a professional golfer, a PGA "middler" who just manages to hold onto his tour card as he plays the small tournaments on the circuit. He also happens to be the son of a disgraced LAPD cop, a law school grad without a license to practice, and a registered private investigator. When Joniel Baker, a high profile baseball player, claims that he's been wrongly accused of murder, he asks his friend Doyle to get involved, to fly under the radar and find out things that the police can't-or won't. Though everything about Joniel and his whereabouts on the night of the murder points to his guilt, Huck decides to take on the case, "because he finds murder investigations a nice distraction from the violent and depressing world of the PGA." With the speed of Tiger Wood's swing, Don Dahler has joined the ranks of Tim Green and Mike Lupica in writing riveting mysteries with a dash of sports. Perfect for thriller readers and golf fans, A Tight Lie

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312383509
• ISBN13: 9780312383503
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.7" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Lost Symbol for golfers plus a good story

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.

GREAT BOOK

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!!!

Nice surprise!

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!

Great Read

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.

Grip it & rip it...or, rather, read it!

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