A razor-sharp, exquisitely paced, madly fun debut thriller that gleefully lampoons Hollywood culture and introduces the highly eccentric yet brilliant ex-detective gone rogue: Charlie Waldo.There are run-of-the-mill eccentric Californians, and then there’s former detective Charlie Waldo.Waldo, a onetime LAPD superstar, now lives in solitude deep in the woods, pathologically committed to owning no … pathologically committed to owning no more than one hundred possessions. He has left behind his career and his girlfriend, Lorena, to pay self-imposed penance for an awful misstep on an old murder case. But the old ghosts are about to come roaring back.
There are plenty of difficult actors in Hollywood, and then there’s Alastair Pinch.
Alastair is a onetime Royal Shakespeare Company thespian who now slums it as the “wise” Southern judge on a tacky network show. He’s absurdly rich, often belligerent, and typically drunk–a damning combination when Alastair’s wife is found dead on their living room floor and he can’t remember what happened.
Waldo’s old flame Lorena, hiding peril of her own, draws him toward the case, and Alastair’s greedy network convinces Waldo to take it on. But after such a long time away from both civilization and sleuthing–and plagued by a confounding array of assailants who want him gone–Waldo must navigate complicated webs of ego and deceit to clear Alastair’s name . . . or confirm his guilt.
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Gripping, smart and funny, Last Looks features a wholly new and compelling hero in former detective-turned-PI Charlie Waldo. With razor sharp dialogue, hardboiled intrigue, and a plot that hums along at high speed, Howard Michael Gould’s remarkable debut thriller is not to be missed.
What a joy, amid all the bland, usual suspects flooding the crime genre, to discover a true standout. Charlie Waldo, the scruffy, eco-maniacal protagonist of Last Looks, is one of the most eccentric and compelling heroes to appear on the literary scene in — well, forever. Howard Michael Gould has penned a joy of a story, with a remarkable supporting case and a wonderfully convoluted plot that zips effortlessly among the Hollywood hills. I loved this book and recommend it with all my heart.
Last Looks is more than just a fun ride — it’s a new spin on a Hollywood P.I. mystery. With a blend of humor and suspense that calls to mind Harlan Coben and Robert Crais, Howard Michael Gould brings to life the quirky Charlie Waldo, a former cop confined to 100 worldly possessions and the claustrophobia of his own guilt over a former case gone bad. His journey back to the world is a ride well worth taking.
I really enjoyed the main character and a glimpse into the (sometimes intellectually complicated) world of minimalism–which also made me grateful that I’m not a minimalist. I just wish modern PI novels didn’t still require the character to get worked over by thugs every other day, when perhaps avoiding the thugs would be a more sensible choice.
Last Looks introduces the reader to ex-LAPD cop and minimalist Charlie Waldo. When I started this book I thought I was going to hate it. When I got about a third of the way through the book I was hooked. Waldo started out seeming like a weird 1970’s commune living, tree hugging hippie with OCD tendencies.
Actually he kind of is a replica of a 1970’s commune living, tree hugging hippie with OCD tendencies. What started out annoying became hysterically funny, endearing and addicting. I absolutely love this character. If you combine Adrian Monk with John Sanford’s Virgil Flowers you come pretty close to Charlie Waldo. I can’t think of a better combination of characteristics. The reader is inside his head the entire book and what an interesting, enjoyable, and amusing place to be.
The character development was so well done I feel like I would know Waldo if I met him on the street. Oh how I wish that were possible. Waldo is a damaged man who has gone to extremes to self flagilate himself for wrongs he believes he is responsible for. Maintaining the standards he’s set for himself is beyond difficult and when he has to make decisions that could mean life or death his thought process is laugh out loud funny.
The storyline in this book is complex but easy to follow. There are a lot of characters involved in this murder investigation and all are well fleshed out and the reader isn’t confused for a second.
I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Charlie Waldo is the best character I’ve met in a book since Harry Bosch. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I like him better than Harry Bosch. The storyline is solid and keeps you guessing right up to the end. THIS is a series and Charlie Waldo is a character I will follow. I can’t wait for the next in the series.
Last Looks is a fun, fast, and quirky take on the essential depravity of modern society in general, and Hollywood in particular. Howard Michael Gould is both thoughtful and hilarious, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Fresh, thought-provoking, and funny, Last Looks is a wild ride through twenty-first century Hollywood — and a thriller with heart. Charlie Waldo is the best reluctant PI to hit the streets of L.A. in years.
Couldn’t get into book but I kept reading to see if Waldo character would become stronger and smarter. He did not. He was strong in his previous life but obsessive in current. Strange.
I’m a big Michael Connelly fan and have found few crime/mystery writers I like as well as MC. We’ll, I just found one. This is a recommended read.
Waldo, Gould’s reluctant PI is both very annoying and very relatable. He carries the story effortlessly. The plot is gripping, the Hollywood setting a delight. I took off a star because the book lost me a little in the middle.
Easy read.
unusual detective. excellent story.
The story was good enough but the main character’s obsession with only owning 100 items became tedious. If you’re confused about whether or not two socks equals two items then you’ve gone round the bend! Living happily ever after with a guy like that would be impossible.