The One Dollar Rip-Off

The One Dollar Rip-Off by Ralph Dennis

The ninth adventure in the legendary detective series that inspired some of the best crime and thriller authors of our time

Unlicensed P.I. Jim Hardman’s buddy Hump Evans, a former NFL player, drops a one dollar bet in the friendly, neighborhood football pool for a possible $100 pot…and, against all odds, he wins. But when Hump goes to collect, he discovers he’s been cheated out of his small jackpot. Chasing that hundred bucks leads the two friends into a maze of arson, embezzlement, and murder that will force them into staging a daring con game to snare a master swindler and a desperate killer.

This new edition includes the long-lost Ralph Dennis short story Wind Spirit.


Books by Ralph Dennis

Hoop Noir

Hoop Noir

Two gritty, fast-moving novels set in the world of basketball by legendary crime writer Ralph Dennis.

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Tales of a Sad, Fat Wordman

Tales of a Sad, Fat Wordman

This collection of some of Ralph's early short stories and poetry, framed with excerpts from articles about him and by essays from authors who knew him well.

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Dust in the Heart

Dust in the Heart

There's a killer stalking children in a small, North Carolina town...and the only one who can stop him is the local Sheriff, a man crippled physically and emotionally by a war that he's still fighting within himself. The haunting, powerful new thriller by Ralph Dennis, author of the legendary Hardman series of crime novels

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All Kinds of Ugly

All Kinds of Ugly

The recently discovered, long-lost, 13th and final Hardman adventure sends the unlicensed PI to London to find a missing man...where he becomes embroiled in an ugly case of embezzlement and murder.

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Reviews For The One Dollar Rip-Off

The One Dollar Rip-Off 5.0

A brilliantly original, surprising plot in one of the best crime novel series ever written. This is straight-up, hardboiled crime fiction, written in a tight, evocative voice with a wicked, dark sense of humor. It's wonderful!

Lee Goldberg, #1 New York Times bestselling author

The One Dollar Rip-Off 5.0

A lightning-paced crime story packed with irreverence and loads of action.

Publishers Weekly

The One Dollar Rip-Off 5.0

Everything one expects from a private eye novel: exceptional characterization, strong and vigorous prose.

Mystery Scene Magazine

The One Dollar Rip-Off 5.0