Kindle Price: $2.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

E. R. White Jr.
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Scrambled Hard-Boiled Kindle Edition

by E. R. White Jr. (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 445 ratings
See all formats and editions
Scrambled Hard-Boiled is classic American Noir where life isn’t painted in black or white, only in brutal shades of grey.When you need to hire a bastard to get the job done, contact Jay Dafoe, private investigator. He’s in the Yellow Pages.Dafoe is an unscrupulous, greedy, profane man. He totally lacks a moral compass, much less follow one. He will lie and cheat to get what he wants, and what he usually wants is cold, hard cash for services rendered. His only redeeming feature is that he’s brutally honest both about his amoral nature and in his sardonic observations of the dark side of the world he has embraced. Nothing is sacred.Dafoe is on a case in a seemingly innocuous small town in North Carolina. What seems like an easy paycheck from a desperate father turns into a bloody killing that threatens the most important person in Jay Dafoe’s world…himself.Scrambled Hard-Boiled isn’t a parlor game mystery. It’s about greed, crooked lawyers, mean cops and even meaner broads. There aren’t any saints in Dafoe’s life, only varying degrees of sinners, some of whom compensate him quite well. So when it comes to murder, Dafoe doesn’t really have a problem with someone getting away with it, just as long he isn’t the victim, and he gets paid.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    186 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    December 25, 2011
  5. File size
    420 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

I make my home on the Florida Panhandle.  I wrote my book to just see if I could.  It took work, patience and a LOT of proofreading. I am a huge fan of that most American of art, hard-boiled detective fiction from the 1920's to 40's. The genre's impact on our, indeed the world's, culture still reverberates to this day in TV, movies and novels. I had a blast writing this.  I hope you have a blast reading it. Enjoy!  (And remember, reviews are always welcome!)

From the Back Cover

It's Mayberry On Meth!

Sex, drugs and double-knit polyester provide the key ingredients in this decidedly off-center take of the traditional detective novel that is Set in North Carolina during the mid-to-late 1970's. There Jay Dafoe learns the in and outs of snooping into other people's lives and how to take advantage and profit from it. Philip Marlowe, he ain't.

Full of dark humor, the novel is also a tale of coming of age in the New South with its class and racial conflicts and the unfortunate habit of killing one another that people have always had in that part of the country. All the traditional elements of the hard-boiled murder mystery are here: homicides, adultery, greed, crooked lawyers, mean cops and even meaner broads.

Then, just to make things interesting, some regional spices like faith healing, homophobia, rednecks, county fairs and inter-species wrestling have been added to the recipe. Mix all of this with a man who isn't afraid to bend the rules in order to make a buck and you have all the key ingredients for a pulp fiction novel, southern style...

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B006QCMG30
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ E. R. White, Jr.; 1st edition (December 25, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 25, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 420 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 186 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 445 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
E. R. White Jr.

E. R. White Jr.

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

I make my home on the Florida Panhandle. I wrote my book to just see if I could. It took work, patience and a LOT of proofreading. I am a huge fan of that most American of art, hard-boiled detective fiction from the 1920's to 40's. The genre's impact on our, indeed the world's, culture still reverberates to this day in TV, movies and novels. I had a blast writing this. I hope you have a blast reading it. Enjoy! (And remember, reviews are always welcome!)

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
445 global ratings
Four Stars
4 Stars
Four Stars
ok
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Nora Jean Stone
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and sexy too. What more could a cougar crime buff ask for?
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2014
Verified Purchase
I use my Kindle Touch to listen to stories as I fall asleep. Most free novels are not that exciting so falling asleep is not a problem. Then came along “Scrambled Hard-Boiled” by E.R. White, Jr. I stayed up until dawn to finish the story. The three PI cases in the novel were braided together with repeating characters showing up at the oddest moments. I won't retell the stories because others probably did that and you just got to read the book.

If you're politically correct, have a thin skin, get creeped out by violence and gore, and are deeply religious in that “Come to Jesus” sort of way, then this book is not for you. If you think that the Police, DA, Lawyers, or Private Investigators run their business by some ethical or moral code then this book is not for you.

Good thing I am none of those things and I found myself gagging on my laughter at 3am, in my bed, with my ear buds on, wide awake. I ended up feeling like I had a raucous one night stand with a sexy guy – satisfied and a little disappointed that there isn't more to enjoy.

I love what he wrote about “older broads” as lovers vs “younger broads.” We do know our stuff and aren't afraid to demand it. We may be saggy but we're seasoned. It was delightful to read a man write about my age group in a positive way. Young gals may be body perfect but they can't even cook nor turn a man into a pile of jelly.

E.R. White Jr. better know I'm going to buy all the stuff he writes because he transported me to a fictive environment where I could taste the gravy on the biscuits at the morning breakfast. I got scared for the protagonist a number of times. I was proud how he was able to think quick and fast talk his way out of a situation and make money at the same time. All that and he's funny and sexy too. What more could a cougar crime buff ask for?
Helpful
 Report
smuffsmom
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2019
Verified Purchase
This is not your typical PI novel. Well it is..... but with a twist. Lots of humor and action and maybe not for politically correct! My only complaint was the incorrect use of the word 'vice'. It's a very good read.
Helpful
 Report
Fargoan
3.0 out of 5 stars mediocre and offensive
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
The basic plot here is kind of interesting, but a bit simplistic with several very convenient coincidences. But the writing is shoddy at times (for example, he uses "vice" when he means "versus"), and it's offensive in a couple areas, one of them being race.

He has a character using the N-word, then half-jokingly gives us a list of all the other offensive terms this character uses, with the reason being that real people speak this way. And while that is true, the narrator himself says that the "darker" members of a church choir are the ones keeping the beat better than others, then adds "if you catch my drift." Portrayals of women and religious services aren't much better, leaving a bad taste, no matter how interesting the plot.
Helpful
 Report
Rhonda
5.0 out of 5 stars Gumshoe extraordinaire!
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2012
Verified Purchase
Dafoe is a classic character, willing to do anything for a buck! Scrambled Hard-Boiled is a quick read. Be prepared for a lot of fun along the way.

The book chronicles the career of an unscrupulous gumshoe and is filled with hilarious characters and situations. The dialogue is free flowing, dry, sarcastic, and thoroughly entertaining. This guy knows how to get himself into and out of a jam and walk away with a profit. The action is nonstop and totally unpredictable, complete with exploding squirrels, gun-toting monkeys, and a family of rednecks that resemble bats!

If you're in need of an escape (and some good chuckles), this is the ticket. I loved it!

There were a few editing mishaps, but nothing particularly distracting. The writing is crisp and clean with great dialogue and truly original philosophies on the intricacies of life!

Some adult language and situations.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
mzbeastle
4.0 out of 5 stars A lead character you love to hate...or is it Hate to Love? And Hard-Boiled it is...
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
What a delightfully mean, cocky, funny, nasty, self-centered character leading these stories. Oh my. Can't explain why I love bad "good guys" or, is it good "bad guys?" Great fun to read, even with the attendant sleeze (what's a good P.I. book without sleeze?) and grittiness? Very enjoyable.
Helpful
 Report
Beverly W. Byrne
5.0 out of 5 stars A Wild Ride!!
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2012
Verified Purchase
Thank Goodness for Kindle and Amazon. I'm tired of walking into bookstores , going to the mystery section and seeing the same authors spitting out the same thing over and over again. I wanted something different and found it here. This was one good read. I found myself laughing out loud and cringing at the same time. I'm a big fan of the old "Black Mask" genre of stories and grew up reading Cain, Chandler and Hammett. This book takes the genre, reimages it and skews it 90 degrees. It's a steal at 99cents and if the author finds an audience, I suspect his next book will cost a bit more! 5 Stars!!
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2016
Verified Purchase
the story is one where a private Detective and his partner make money by using the information that the find makes them money.
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars You wouldn't want to be chosen for a role in the movie....
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2012
Verified Purchase
You wouldn't want to be chosen for a role in the movie, because most of the characters are ugly. I mean, U.G.L.Y.! Plug ugly. From Jay's partner Ernie (you don't want to know where he might have just scratched), to his client's kid Sonny (who is soooo ugly, even Jay had to laugh), to Dickle Doug (the meanest man in town), and finally the bat-faced Baylors (although one, with a little something added to the gene pool, has features more like a raccoon).
I can't wait to see what E. R. White Jr. will come up with next. Lots of fun!
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

owlstalker
5.0 out of 5 stars Tells it like it should be told....
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 7, 2014
Verified Purchase
A very good storyline, believable characters well-described, and above all, the story is written with no concession to false political correctness. Phrases which make liberals go tut-tut are bandied about in context with no malice intended - it's how people really are; it doesn't make them monsters or racists. Quite a few typos which normally would irritate me, but this book was so engrossing that I didn't care. The main character is a private detective who has human flaws not usually associated with the hunky individuals usually seen on TV. He's a bit of a coward, doesn't mind turning a blind eye to anything so long as it's worth his while, and his primary concern is his own safety. All told with lots of humour. Definitely a character that this author could continue with.
Report
Graham of Watton
4.0 out of 5 stars Fast and furious
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2017
Verified Purchase
'Scrambled Hard-Boiled' certainly isn't the best American crime thriller I've read, but it's good fun and easy to read. There are times when Mr White is trying a little too hard to write in a gritty, tough style - a bit like an adolescent who thinks it is grown-up to swear lot. He may not be as accomplished as Lawrence Block at writing high quality pulp fiction, but he knows how to construct a good plot and keep things moving at a fast and furious pace. I fully agree with the reviewer who described 'Scrambled Hard-Boiled' as a good book to take on holiday as it's both enjoyable and undemanding.
Report
Wendy
3.0 out of 5 stars Very Disappointed.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 2, 2016
Verified Purchase
Basically, this was a good read, but I've only given 3 stars because there were parts that I really didn't like, and actually, I didn't feel they were relevant to the story.

Early on in the book, there's a mention of animal cruelty (not necessary for the story) but I plodded on. I admit to being an avid animal lover and abhor abuse of any kind to any animal, so when I got a good way into the book, I wasn't at all impressed with several pages of, what I would term as casual cruelty to a chimpanzee.

Without giving too much away, this poor creature was old, partially blind and had whip scars on his back.

Unfortunately, this type of thing spoils the story for me. There is so much horrific cruelty to animals worldwide, that I really do not want to read a story with animal abuse in. I read to be entertained and animal cruelty is NOT entertainment.

Again, this wasn't at all relevant to the story and could easily have been omitted from the story.

At this stage, I gave up on the book. Shame because it COULD have been a good read.

I definitely won't be reading anything else by this author, it seems as if he has an interest in animal cruelty that I don't think is acceptable. I certainly won't recommend it either.
Report
Ellen
5.0 out of 5 stars I should have hated it....
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2014
Verified Purchase
...after reading the first chapter. But, it was a great book: entertaining, funny and fast-paced, with really interesting plots.

So, I nearly pressed 'delete' after the first chapter references of sexism (easy, sleazy women) and racism (the 'N' word), particularly being a) a female and b) modern and enlightened. However, prior reading of Tom Sharpe, Ed McBain and numerous detective stories have de-sensitised my sensibilities to bad language, sex and graphic images of crime. Yes, the references aren't PC, but there are genuinely lol moments in this book over the the interwoven stories. It needs to be read in context to be enjoyed. Great author and book - can't wait for the next!
One person found this helpful
 Report
Jeff Davies
4.0 out of 5 stars A Damn Good Read !
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2019
Verified Purchase
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. At last a realistic look at a fictional P.I. His attitudes and truthful outlook on the world left me stunned. It's unusual for some one to tell it and write it "like it is"....None of the political correctness and snowflake attitude with this guy...."Call a spade a spade" if you will...….Aside from the sometimes forgetfulness of the author when he lapsed into proper English mixed with a little hillbilly patois, I found the whole read truly refreshing and a good laugh to boot.Looking forward to the next read from this author.The book was good , start to finish......
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report