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Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
Grand Central Publishing (2021), 448 pages
Description
The 1950s are on the horizon, and Archer is in dire need of a fresh start after a nearly fatal detour in Poca City. So Archer hops on a bus and begins the long journey out west to California, where rumor has it there is money to be made for someone who's hard-working, lucky, a criminal, or all three. Along the way, Archer stops in Reno, where a stroke of fortune delivers him a wad of cash and an eye-popping blood-red 1939 Delahaye convertible, plus a companion for the final leg of the journey, an aspiring actress named Liberty Callahan who is planning to try her luck in Hollywood. But when the two arrive in Bay Town, California, Archer quickly discovers that the hordes of people who flocked there seeking fame and fortune landed in a false paradise that instead caters to their worst addictions and fears. Archer's first stop is a P.I. office where he is hoping to apprentice with a legendary private eye and former FBI agent named Willie Dash. He lands the job, and immediately finds himself in the thick of a potential scandal: a blackmail case involving a wealthy well-connected politician running for mayor that soon spins into something even more sinister. As bodies begin falling, Archer and Dash must infiltrate the world of brothels, gambling dens, drug operations, and long-hidden secrets, descending into the rotten bones of a corrupt town that is selling itself as the promised land-but might actually be the road to perdition, and Archer's final resting place.… (more)
Media reviews
I liked the book, everything is presented in great detail and yes, indeed, the book describes a wide variety of strategies for playing different casino games. And everything is also true about mathematical analysis, because as they say, mathematics is the queen of all sciences, and by using
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scientific methods, you can significantly increase your chances of winning the game. These are good and competent basic gaming strategies, and these winning strategies are progressive. They help you make more informed decisions for the game. Plus, these are proven strategies that will help you win more often in the long run. I also started using such strategies and they help me win, but sometimes I act a little differently... For my entertainment, I have always chosen very complex online games, because only in this way the interest and desire to complete the game with a victorious finale increases, and besides, it develops, and thereby increases the personal intellectual level, which by the way is very important for the self-development of the individual. In addition, abrupt and unexpected changes that can occur in the process itself have a positive effect on the speed of thinking, which also appeals to me. Developing such mental qualities in oneself contributes to intense mental activity that helps me to win at online casino slots https://jennycasino.com/ and game bonuses, which brings incredible pleasure and joy of victory. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member alanteder
Retro-Hardboiled
Review of the Grand Central Publishing audiobook edition, released simultaneously with the hardcover (April, 2021)
A Gambling Man (2021) continues the journey of Baldacci's late 1940's hardboiled detective character Aloysius Archer who was introduced in One Good Deed (2019). This is
Archer was an amateur sleuth in the first book, but now becomes an apprentice private detective in the fictitious Bay City in California. At the start of the novel he travels from Reno, Nevada with a starry eyed nightclub singer/dancer who turns out to be a formidable ally. In fact the whole novel has a long string of tough women, each of whom is more hardboiled than perhaps even the detectives and criminals themselves.
The narration by Edoardo Ballerini (all male voices) and Brittany Pressley (all female voices) was excellent.
Review of the Grand Central Publishing audiobook edition, released simultaneously with the hardcover (April, 2021)
A Gambling Man (2021) continues the journey of Baldacci's late 1940's hardboiled detective character Aloysius Archer who was introduced in One Good Deed (2019). This is
Show More
very much a pastiche of the Raymond Chandler (1888-1959) cynical detective style and should appeal to those with nostalgic memories of that era of writers and novels. Archer was an amateur sleuth in the first book, but now becomes an apprentice private detective in the fictitious Bay City in California. At the start of the novel he travels from Reno, Nevada with a starry eyed nightclub singer/dancer who turns out to be a formidable ally. In fact the whole novel has a long string of tough women, each of whom is more hardboiled than perhaps even the detectives and criminals themselves.
The narration by Edoardo Ballerini (all male voices) and Brittany Pressley (all female voices) was excellent.
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LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The Gambling Man, (An Archer Novel Book 2), David Baldacci, Edoardo Ballerini, Brittany Pressley, narrators
World War II is over. It is the last year of the 1940’s. Aloysius Archer, a veteran, is moving on. After serving his sentence for a crime he did not commit, he leaves Poca City and stops in
There is a campaign in Bay City, for a new mayor to replace the former mayor, Benjamin Smalls, who recently drowned in his bathtub. Sawyer Armstrong, the man who pretty much owns the whole town, including the sheriff, is “seemingly” supporting his daughter Beth’s husband, Douglas Kemper, for the job. Beth’s relationship to her father seems very dependent, and she seems closer to him than to her husband. The man running against Douglas is Alfred Drake, a quiet, unassuming dentist. Kemper has a far more outgoing personality and is more likely to win, especially with the very influential Sawyer backing him.
Dash and Archer are hired to help Kemper win the political race. When Archer meets Kemper’s father-in-law, Armstrong, it is a violent introduction with several warnings and an additional job offer. As dead bodies suddenly start to pile up at the Midnight Moods and Willie Dash’s office, Dash, a former FBI agent, want to solve the crimes as well.
There are so many characters, it sometimes gets confusing. The crude sexual content seems unnecessary and seems to degrade the women in the book. The author seems to want to make the women strong, but they seem to be of loose character, as well.
Archer seems like such a good soul, yet he, too, is capable of tremendous violence. The mystery twists and turns with many completely unexpected outcomes. The book is not the best, but it will hold the reader’s interest, even though the end result is like a foregone conclusion from the get-go.
The male narrator is superior to the female narrator who seems to give the same voice and personality to all of the female characters, regardless of their age or personality.
World War II is over. It is the last year of the 1940’s. Aloysius Archer, a veteran, is moving on. After serving his sentence for a crime he did not commit, he leaves Poca City and stops in
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Reno at a casino. There he meets Liberty Callahan, a woman with stars in her eyes. His luck was running high, and he shares his gambling winnings with her. Later that night, Archer and Liberty rescue a down and out man from gangsters collecting on his gambling debts. He winds up buying the man’s unique car, a Delahaye, made in France before the war, with the steering wheel on the right side. He hopes that the man will use the money to pay his debts and move on. That does not seem to be in the cards, though, and Archer and Liberty, head out of town, hoping to be one step ahead of the mob that is after them. Liberty decided to go to California with Archer for what she hoped would be fame and fortune in Hollywood. He was going for what he hoped would be a new start and a new career as a private eye in Bay City. Liberty decides to hang around Bay City for awhile, and she gets a job singing and dancing at a club called Midnight Moods. Archer starts working for Willie Dash and his “very private investigation” service. Soon, the club and the “very private investigators” are embroiled in murder and mystery.There is a campaign in Bay City, for a new mayor to replace the former mayor, Benjamin Smalls, who recently drowned in his bathtub. Sawyer Armstrong, the man who pretty much owns the whole town, including the sheriff, is “seemingly” supporting his daughter Beth’s husband, Douglas Kemper, for the job. Beth’s relationship to her father seems very dependent, and she seems closer to him than to her husband. The man running against Douglas is Alfred Drake, a quiet, unassuming dentist. Kemper has a far more outgoing personality and is more likely to win, especially with the very influential Sawyer backing him.
Dash and Archer are hired to help Kemper win the political race. When Archer meets Kemper’s father-in-law, Armstrong, it is a violent introduction with several warnings and an additional job offer. As dead bodies suddenly start to pile up at the Midnight Moods and Willie Dash’s office, Dash, a former FBI agent, want to solve the crimes as well.
There are so many characters, it sometimes gets confusing. The crude sexual content seems unnecessary and seems to degrade the women in the book. The author seems to want to make the women strong, but they seem to be of loose character, as well.
Archer seems like such a good soul, yet he, too, is capable of tremendous violence. The mystery twists and turns with many completely unexpected outcomes. The book is not the best, but it will hold the reader’s interest, even though the end result is like a foregone conclusion from the get-go.
The male narrator is superior to the female narrator who seems to give the same voice and personality to all of the female characters, regardless of their age or personality.
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LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
I normally enjoy books by David Baldacci but this one...nope. Five (5) chapters in and nothing had happened. I didn't even care about the characters. (I did not read book 1 in the series--and now I don't plan to. Perhaps I would have cared more about Archer if I'd met him in the first book of the
If I'd read the book without knowing the author, I wouldn't have picked Baldacci.
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series--but to my mind, a reader should be able to pick up any book in the series.)If I'd read the book without knowing the author, I wouldn't have picked Baldacci.
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LibraryThing member waldhaus1
Archer is taking the next step in his life. By chance he starts off in Reno and leaves with a woman named Liberty and an exotic French car. The body count is high and grows by the page. A catalog full of interesting characters in a coastal California city called Bay Town. The setting is late
And of course it begs a sequel.
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forties or early fifties evoking post was America. Enough in the way of misdirection and surprised to keep things interesting. And of course it begs a sequel.
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LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: A Gambling Man (Aloysius Archer #2)
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 448
Year: 2021
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
Aloysius Archer is a WWII vet who has served time in prison and now seeks to make an honest living as a private eye. The novel is set in the 1950s era
Archer travels to California with the hopes of learning how to be a private eye under the tutelage of one named Willie Dash. However, before he gets there, Archer becomes entangled with a man who needs to sell a very rare vehicle to cover a debt. With his new ride and a woman he just met by his side, off they go in search of fulfilling their dreams. Readers first meet Archer in One Good Deed, which is a riveting suspense-filled tale, though one doesn’t have to read it to understand the nuances of A Gambling Man.
Archer is a stand-up man, who enjoys his Lucky Strike cigarettes and carries a flask in his coat pocket at all times. The moment Archer meets Willie Dash until the last page of the book, there is never a dull moment. What is really appealing about the story is it doesn’t have new-fangled gadgets to help him solve crimes. Archer has to trust his instincts and go where the cluses lead him. Even when Archer is questioning people, his thoughts aren’t always revealed which makes it more intriguing to see where Archer goes and who he is going to see.
The one major difference I noticed between the first book and this one is the focus here being more on who done it and less on Archer’s extra circular movements. Liberty Callahan brings a flair to Archer’s life and a unique perspective to his new career as a “gumshoe.” I hope the author plans on giving us more action and adventure with Archer; he’s a favorite to me and I like the era Archer is placed in too!
I have been anticipating this book for a while and spent the weekend enjoying every word! Each of David Baldacci’s books are filled with mystery, romance, thrills and spills! If you haven’t’ read any of his books, pick one up and be prepared to be entertained for hours!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 448
Year: 2021
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
Aloysius Archer is a WWII vet who has served time in prison and now seeks to make an honest living as a private eye. The novel is set in the 1950s era
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and as I read, I could picture the scenes as if they were playing on an old black and white TV. The main character goes by the name Archer, and he is smarter than he lets on, having no problem stepping into someone else’s mess if he can give them a hand.Archer travels to California with the hopes of learning how to be a private eye under the tutelage of one named Willie Dash. However, before he gets there, Archer becomes entangled with a man who needs to sell a very rare vehicle to cover a debt. With his new ride and a woman he just met by his side, off they go in search of fulfilling their dreams. Readers first meet Archer in One Good Deed, which is a riveting suspense-filled tale, though one doesn’t have to read it to understand the nuances of A Gambling Man.
Archer is a stand-up man, who enjoys his Lucky Strike cigarettes and carries a flask in his coat pocket at all times. The moment Archer meets Willie Dash until the last page of the book, there is never a dull moment. What is really appealing about the story is it doesn’t have new-fangled gadgets to help him solve crimes. Archer has to trust his instincts and go where the cluses lead him. Even when Archer is questioning people, his thoughts aren’t always revealed which makes it more intriguing to see where Archer goes and who he is going to see.
The one major difference I noticed between the first book and this one is the focus here being more on who done it and less on Archer’s extra circular movements. Liberty Callahan brings a flair to Archer’s life and a unique perspective to his new career as a “gumshoe.” I hope the author plans on giving us more action and adventure with Archer; he’s a favorite to me and I like the era Archer is placed in too!
I have been anticipating this book for a while and spent the weekend enjoying every word! Each of David Baldacci’s books are filled with mystery, romance, thrills and spills! If you haven’t’ read any of his books, pick one up and be prepared to be entertained for hours!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.
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LibraryThing member lewilliams
A Gambling Man is not as good as the first Archer book One Good Deed, however, it is a good story with enough plot twists and turns to keep you interested. One drawback for me was the constant description of clothing worn by the various characters.
LibraryThing member Baochuan
Very fast pace, but I felt the plot is a bit overtly twisted and the motive is a bit weak. However, it still has the similar Baldacci style of story telling and enjoyable as a thriller.
LibraryThing member norinrad10
I began this book on a long plane ride. The desire was to pick up something simple and entertaining. Baldacci often meets that criteria and this book is no exception.
Set in the 40's, WWII vet Archer has headed out west with dreams of becoming a gumshoe. He has secured a mentor in fast growing North
What transpires is fairly predictable, but entertaining none the less. The characters are crisp though sometimes it's a little jarring to here characters from the 40's espousing 2022 world views. Allin all a decent read that will suffice on a plane trip or by the pool.
Set in the 40's, WWII vet Archer has headed out west with dreams of becoming a gumshoe. He has secured a mentor in fast growing North
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California city, one rife wuth corruption and murder. The perfect city in which to earn his PI ticket.What transpires is fairly predictable, but entertaining none the less. The characters are crisp though sometimes it's a little jarring to here characters from the 40's espousing 2022 world views. Allin all a decent read that will suffice on a plane trip or by the pool.
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LibraryThing member ZachMontana
A new Baldacci character and series with Archer as a budding Private Detective is well written and compelling to read as usual for his work!
LibraryThing member lbswiener
A Gambling Man is a LA Noir story. It starts off in Reno and then winds up in Southern California. The story is bogged down by itself. The characters are not necessarily likeable or even not likeable. The story is very slow in moving. David Baldacci is an excellent thriller storyteller. There are
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not many writers in his league which makes it all the more difficult to rate this book only with three stars. Three stars meaning average. Show Less
LibraryThing member Daftboy1
I enjoyed the 1st instalment of the Aloysius Archer.
Its 1949 not long after World War 2. Archer now finds himself in Reno where he teams up with a lovely young lady called Liberty Callahan, Archer buys a very fancy and unusual car. They make their way to a town in California called Bay town.
Archer
Liberty gets a job at a local night spot called Midnight Moods.
Willie and Archer are hired by a man called Douglas Kempler who wants to become Mayor. Someone is digging up dirt and making stories up about him.
A few folk turn up dead. The town is owned by Kempster's Father in law Sawyer Armstrong who wants to build a Casino on an island off the coast. He will also kill anyone who gets in his way or tries to come between him and his daughter Beth. It turns out Beth isnt his natural Daughter after all. Beth shoots Sawyer dead as he was going to kill Liberty. OK fast paced book.
Its 1949 not long after World War 2. Archer now finds himself in Reno where he teams up with a lovely young lady called Liberty Callahan, Archer buys a very fancy and unusual car. They make their way to a town in California called Bay town.
Archer
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gets a job as a Private eye working for a man called Willie Dash. Liberty gets a job at a local night spot called Midnight Moods.
Willie and Archer are hired by a man called Douglas Kempler who wants to become Mayor. Someone is digging up dirt and making stories up about him.
A few folk turn up dead. The town is owned by Kempster's Father in law Sawyer Armstrong who wants to build a Casino on an island off the coast. He will also kill anyone who gets in his way or tries to come between him and his daughter Beth. It turns out Beth isnt his natural Daughter after all. Beth shoots Sawyer dead as he was going to kill Liberty. OK fast paced book.
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LibraryThing member zmagic69
Another series from this author. Likable and believable characters and a well thought out story.
Very entertaining book.
Very entertaining book.
Original language
English
Original publication date
2021
Physical description
9.35 inches
ISBN
1538719673 / 9781538719671