A Gambling Man
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3.9 • 195 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Aloysius Archer, the straight-talking World War II veteran fresh out of prison, returns in this riveting #1 New York Times bestselling thriller from David Baldacci.
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 if you’re hard-working, lucky, 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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
There’s something irresistible about the high style and dark seediness of a classic California noir. The year is 1949, and World War II vet Aloysius Archer finds himself smack in the middle of West coast drama after he takes a job working for an FBI agent turned PI. Their first case leads them straight into a dark plot involving newly built casinos, a glamorous starlet with a secret past, and a web of political blackmail. David Baldacci’s tightly woven plot and witty, rapid-fire dialogue is amusing and gripping. We appreciate how Archer’s no-nonsense, highly principled worldview provides a great contrast to the abject chaos that seems to erupt around him at every moment. Baldacci’s modern updating of the classic hardboiled detective hero makes A Gambling Man a cool, suspenseful, and entertaining read.
Customer Reviews
Excellent Read
Archer is an excellent character. This was an entertaining story with a marvellous feel for location and time. Bay Town feels real. The description of scenes are vivid. I love the supporting characters as well, especially Dash. So sad it ended quickly. But I have a feeling there will be more Archer and Dash in the future.
Not the usual exciting book I expected.
This is not the usual read I expected from David Baldacci. I was disappointed. I have read every book written by Baldacci and found this to be confusing and not as thrilling as his other books. Normally, after reading the first paragraph, I cannot put his books down. This one dragged on into the middle of the book before I picked up some interest. I continued to read it but did not enjoy it. The title did not suit the plot in the book.