Pay or Play

A Charlie Waldo novel

by Howard Michael Gould

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Pub Date Dec 07 2021 | Archive Date Feb 22 2022

Severn House Publishers | Severn House

Humor & Satire | Mystery & Thrillers

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Description

Blackmail, sexual harassment, murder . . . and a missing dog: eccentric, eco-obsessed LA private eye Charlie Waldo is on the case in this quirky, fast-paced mystery.

Paying a harsh self-imposed penance for a terrible misstep on a case, former LAPD superstar detective Charlie Waldo lives a life of punishing minimalism deep within the woods, making a near religion of his commitment to owning no more than One Hundred Things.

At least, he’s trying to. His PI girlfriend Lorena keeps drawing him back to civilization – even though every time he compromises on his principles, something goes wrong.

And unfortunately for Waldo, all roads lead straight back to LA. When old adversary Don Q strongarms him into investigating the seemingly mundane death of a vagrant, Lorena agrees he can work under her PI license on one condition: he help with a high-maintenance celebrity client, wildly popular courtroom TV star Judge Ida Mudge, whose new mega-deal makes her a perfect target for blackmail.

Reopening the coldest of cases, a decades-old fraternity death, Waldo begins to wonder if the judge is, in fact, a murderer – and if he’ll stay alive long enough to find out.

Pay or Play is the third in the Charlie Waldo series, following Last Looks and Below the Line. Last Looks was turned into a major motion picture, starring Charlie Hunnam as the offbeat private investigator.

Advance Praise

“Gould’s experience as a film and TV writer and producer is evident in this well-written first novel that manages to focus on environmental concerns while spoofing Hollywood clichés with a nod toward classic American detective fiction.

Charlie Waldo would do well on the big screen—he does very well here.”—Library Journal

“Screenwriter Gould takes us behind the scenes and onto the sets of contemporary Hollywood, with loads of insider knowledge delivered in a thoroughly engaging way… A fast-paced and funny treat for anyone who loves the movies.”—Booklist

“The plot is good and the protagonist is even better. It's fast, funny and well worth a sequel."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“TV writer Gould’s good-natured humor ranges from showbiz satire to Charlie’s bemused takes on modern urban life. And his characters are great.”—The Seattle Times

"Gould’s scriptwriting experience shines through here. Each page contains a number of crystal-clear images that beg for translation to video...There’s also some humor in just the right places to keep things from becoming too dark."—BookReporter

“In Gould’s rollicking sequel to 2018’s Last Looks, Stevie Rose, a wealthy 15-year-old girl, hires PI Charlie Waldo, a former LAPD detective, and Lorena, Charlie’s boss, and girlfriend to find her missing brother, Terrence...the entertaining characters are enough to keep readers turning the pages. Fans of quirky PIs will find a lot to like.”—Publishers Weekly