A clever and well written thriller, which I enjoyed and read in one sitting.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book by David Baldacci, with Aloyisus Archer. Well written, with great descriptions of the time and place, so it is easy to imagine where you are. Hope he is going to keep going with this character, all 3 books in the series have been great and different from each other.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. apologies it has taken me so long to get around to posting it.
I'm a massive fan of David Baldacci since I first discovered his books around fifteen years ago and find him to be a go to author.
Is there such a thing as a bad Baldacci book ?
I'm hardly unbiased when I say no, but some are better than others and this was one of the best ones.
Absolutely loved it and found myself yearning for more.
Here's to the next one, keep them coming

Davide Baldacci delivers another exciting and gripping story that i found highly entertaining.
Fast paced plot, good characters and a solid mystery.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

7.5/10

Another interesting novel in this series showcasing Baldacci’s skill at writing an interesting thriller but also developing the main character, Aloysius Archer, and weaving the plot around an interesting post World War 2 setting which feels very believable.

The problem often found with books set in a historical period is how to make them believable. There was no problem here as instantly it feels like you’re living and breathing in the same period with the characters mannerisms and interactions all fitting into the period. There is a mystery which needs to be solved and plenty of twists and turns and mysterious characters who aren’t all they seem. Everything you want in this type of page turning thriller. The only minor gripe I have is that there were a few pacing issues where things didn’t flow as much and could potentially have been trimmed in places but these were minor quibbles.

I’ve picked up a couple of Baldacci’s books now but I have to say this series has been really interesting for me and I’ll happily pick up any more he does in the series as they stand out as some of the best from the limited amount I’ve read so far.

My thanks to the Author publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is the second book in the Aloysius Archer series and a good follow up to the terrific One Good Deed, this time our hero finds himself involved with a beautiful singer, and hopeful actress on a road trip to California, on his way to meeting a future employer, with a view to becoming a private investigator. The trip turns out to be interesting and deadly, and soon our hero finds himself on a job trial as the body count builds up. Well written clever descriptive engaging characters with a real old fashioned 'Gumshoe ' feel to it. An absorbing intriguing always interesting mystery with several twists and totally recommended. This book works as a standalone story.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Gambling Man’ by David Baldacci in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second in Baldacci’s series of crime thrillers set in 1949 featuring Aloysius Archer. After the events of ‘One Good Deed’ Archer is heading West to Bay Town, California where he has the opportunity of a position as an apprentice to renowned private detective Willy Dash. He stops off at a casino in Reno where by luck he acquires a flashy red French convertible and a travelling companion in the form of aspiring actress, Liberty Callahan.

Once they arrive in Bay Town Archer is quickly caught up in a blackmail plot concerning the election of a top local official. When two apparently unconnected people are murdered at a burlesque club the community closes ranks forcing Archer to dig deep to reveal the truth.

David Baldacci delivers a highly engaging crime thriller that draws on the sensibilities of the hard-bitten private eye tales of the mid-20th Century. A great read.

Archer #2

The 1950's are on the horizon and Aloysius 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 a long journey to California where there's money to be made if you're hardworking, lucky criminal - or all three. Along the way Archer stops in Reno, where a stroke of fortune delivers him a wad of cash, a 1939 Delahaye convertible and a companion for the rest of the journey, Liberty Callaghan, who's planning to try her luck in Hollywood.

Archer travels to California to work as a Private Investigator and ends up being involved in a blackmailing case. The story is told from Archer's point of view. It's action packed with plenty of twists and turns. I really like Liberty Callahan, she's one tough cookie. The book is descriptively written and the clues are there to be found. The pace is steady. This book could be read as a standalone but it's turning out to be a really good series, so I would grab myself a copy of One Good Deed before you read this book.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #PanMacmillan and the author #DavidBaldacci for my ARC of #AGamblingMan in exchange for an honest review.

David Baldacci is a master of his craft and anything written by him is well worth reading. This is the second Aloysius Archer novel and it is a wonderfully crafted and entertaining piece of work.

Archer is a beautifully depicted hero, cool, calm, competent but still vulnerable and you really root for him as he is embroiled in an imbroglio of small town politics and murder.

The sense of time and place of the late 40's/early 50s and the book races by in a delight of excellent plotting, characterisation and writing.

This book is so good I read it twice within a month. Aloysius Archer has just been realised from prison after completing a sentence for a crime he did not commit. He heads to California where he has a promise of a job with an aged private investigator named Willie Dash. His first stop is Reno where on arrival he meets Robert Howells who helps him out. Whilst in Reno Archer meets the beautiful dancer called Liberty Callahan she danced with a group called The Dancing Birds. Archer and Callahan became friends as they both wanted to get to California, Liberty to Hollywood and Archer to meet Willie Dash so that he could learn how to become a PI. Things happen along the way and once they get to California.i think this is one of my favourite David Baldacci’s books, although I ha really enjoying every one of the ones I have read.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for this advanced copy of the latest David Baldacci book. Another excellent outing for Aloysius Archer who is becoming my all time favourite character by David Baldacci. You are taken back to America in the very late 40's and the way that the story is written you feel as if you are actually there. You are instantly drawn into the pages and this story is a page turner in the true sense of the word. Plenty of twists and turns and hopefully this will be a series that will run and run. David Baldacci is in a league of his own. 5 stars all the way.

I really enjoy David Baldacci's work and this is no exception. Really absorbing and tense story with great characterisation. Enough twists and turns to keep you guessing right til the end! It felt that this book would make the most amazing film! Many thanks.

This is the second book in the Aloysius Archer series which is set in 1940s America. Archer is an ex con and veteran of World War Two who has been wrongly convicted of a crime. After his release from gaol he has become involved in solving a mystery and building on this experience he has decided to try his hand at becoming a private detective. When we meet him he is en route to California to work for Willy Dash, an experienced “gumshoe”.
On a stopover in Reno Archer wins a lot of money in a casino and uses it to buy an amazing continental car. He also meets aspiring actress, Liberty Callahan and the two of them pair up to drive to California.
They encounter a number of obstacles on the way and once they arrive Willy Dash gets Archer involved in a complicated blackmail investigation whilst Liberty gets work in a nightclub.
There is a lot going on in this novel and many characters to get your head around. I really liked the relationship between Archer and Liberty who turns out not to be a shy and retiring sort of person. She even carries a pistol in her handbag!
They try to keep things on a friendly level but there is obviously an attraction between the two of them. I look forward to seeing more of Liberty in the next book.
My only criticism of the novel would be that there is a lot of detailed description about what the characters are wearing and after a while I had to skip over these bits as they did not hold my attention sufficiently.
All in all “ A Gambling Man “ was a compelling thriller with well researched period detail about America in the late 1940s when World War 2 was still fresh in everyone’s minds. It was written in the vein of Raymond Chandler, James Ellroy and Dashell Hammett.
Although it is book number two in the series it would definitely work well as a stand alone.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of A Gambling Man, the second novel set in 1949 to feature Aloysius Archer.

Aloysius stops in Reno on his way to interview for a job as a PI in Bay Town, California. There he meets aspiring actress Liberty Callahan and after a few escapades they head west together. Getting the job seems to be the easy part because Archer is soon plunged into corruption and murder in a town that hides its seamy underbelly.

I thoroughly enjoyed A Gambling Man, which is a highly entertaining read with plenty of twists and turns. It is told entirely from Archer’s point of view so the reader can get stuck in immediately without distraction. I got so immersed in the story that I hardly stopped for a breather and was astonished at how much time had passed without a break. For that I couldn’t go lower than 5*.

The plot has plenty of action, misdirection and unexpected events that kept me interested and reading. Is it plausible? Probably not, but who cares when it’s so entertaining. I like the post war feel to the novel and the theme of corruption and greed seem ideally suited to it, although I don’t know why as it is universal and timeless.

I never think that characterisation is Mr Baldacci’s strong suit, but in this series it is the characters that give the novel its warmth and strength. Archer is a strangely naïve man, given that he has served both in the army and a prison sentence. He is a moral man with a desire to do good, so his reactions are never predictable. This adds to the charm of the novel. The real breakout character, however, is Liberty Callahan, tough but idealistic. She’s a hoot and brings humour and fun to the novel. Together they bring the hope of a better future to the novel. It might be corny but it’s warm and fun.

A Gambling Man is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

David Baldacci impresses with this stylish, historical crime, Chandleresque sequel to One Good Deed featuring war veteran Aloysius Archer, an innocent man who has spent time in prison, and after events that could have seen him hang in Poca City, he is making his way to Bay Town, California in 1949. He is pursuing a career as a gumshoe, having picked up skills previously with Detective Irving Shaw, who recommends him to Willie Dash, an ex-FBI private investigator offering the opportunity of an apprenticeship. He stops off at Reno that sees lady luck smile on him when he wins big at the casino, and which allows him to acquire an eye catching, exclusive and desirable car, a blood red French convertible Delahaye. He acquires a companion on his drive to Bay Town, the beautiful Liberty Callahan, a woman chasing dreams of fame and fortune in Hollywood as an actress.

Archer is not the man he used to be, he has learnt the hard way to be more wary of women, and experience has taught him to not divulge personal details and focus more on listening. He is courteous, hardworking and respectful, his needs are modest, a place to live, a job, and to be able to buy a drink or two. He is not a man who can walk on by when a man is being viciously beaten up, getting involved, even when it seems the height of folly. The coastal Bay Town is booming, a divided place, where the wealthy and powerful live in a different milieu from the ordinary folk. Dash takes on Archer, although his prison record requires that he operates under a private investigator's licence from Dash's agency, an enterprise that is struggling financially. A married mayoral candidate, Douglas Kemper, is being blackmailed, over a purported affair, a perilous case that is set to expose the ugly, brutal, deadly and corrupt reality of Bay Town. As the number of dead begins to rise, Archer and Dash find themselves facing the gravest of dangers.

Baldacci excels in providing a picture of post-war small town America, such as the hotbed of political intrigue, the growth and ambitions of the gambling industry, and a glamorous Hollywood world of movies and film stars that attracts big numbers of people wanting to act, with most destined to have their dreams shattered. More than anything, it is a man's world when it comes to power and influence, an all too real reflection of the social norms and attitudes of the period, along with the unpalatable racism. Liberty has learnt to stand up for herself and deal with the myriads of dangers that men represent to women, it is fascinating to observe the relationship that develops between her and Archer, they have far more in common than might first appear. This is a fabulously entertaining historical read that I found wonderfully compelling and suspenseful. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

Sometimes lady luck glances in Aloysius Archer's direction and he is able to take full advantage. A stop at a casino in Reno on his way to Bay Town, California, results in him gaining a travelling companion, a vehicle of his own and a few dollars in his pocket. Of course Archer's luck never lasts and by the time he arrives at his destination he's been reminded of that a few times.

He does, at least, have a new job to go to and not every 2nd World War veteran has that. His new boss, Willie Dash, a quick thinking, experienced private eye isn't swimming in cases but one lands on his doorstep at almost the same time as Archer.

His travelling companion, Liberty Callahan, was on her way to Hollywood but decides to stay a while in Bay Town and gets herself a job at a burlesque club where Archer finds himself and Dash investigating a blackmail case which is about to get very dangerous very quickly. He likes his new home town but wonders if he'll live long enough to to experience its highlights.

This is the second Archer book and is as professionally executed as the first. Archer now has a very nice ride and a lady friend who plans to be the next big thing to hit Hollywood. He also has a boss who he was recommended to by the cop from the first book. That is the only connection to 'One Good Deed' and so this can easily be read as a standalone although that is also an excellent read.

As with all David Baldacci books there is a lot of description but there are clues and relevant information hidden throughout. He also paints a vivid picture of smallish town America after the war in the sunshine state, although it seems to rain quite a bit!

The case involving the cream of Bay Town society is complex, evenly paced, and draws you in immediately. The pace of life is not hectic, the coroner smokes at the crime scene and you'll need change for the phone readily to hand all of which is delivered in a wonderfully atmospheric and realistic manner. I was glad I didn't work the solution out any faster than Archer as it made for an extremely satisfying read from the first chapter to the last. Now I just have to wait to find out what happens next.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

David Baldacci delivers another superbly crafted thriller in book two of Aloysius Archer. We pick up with Archer arriving in Reno on his way to California. Within 24 hours he has bought a swanky car thanks to a fluke win in a casino and has a passenger - the fabulous aspiring actress, Liberty Callahan. They arrive in Bay Town California where Archer has the chance of a new job as a Private Investigator, while Liberty takes a job at the local burlesque club. Archer and his new boss are asked to investigate a case of blackmail. The mayoral race is on and one candidate is being blackmailed for having an affair with a singer at the same burlesque club. But who is really behind the blackmail attempt and what does it have to do with the powerful man who runs Bay Town - and is also one of the mayoral candidates father-in-law? As body after body is discovered will Archer be able to survive in a town that has a deeply hidden history? I LOVED this latest offering from the King of thriller writing. The language, the descriptions, both male and female characterisation alongside the pace of the novel was flawless. The ending was deeply satisfying too.

Every time I read a David Baldacci novel I promise myself I will read more of his books. He is an excellent author and really do want to read more of his books. This is the second book in the ‘Archer’ series and after loving the first one ‘ One Good Deed’ I was really looking forward to reading this one. In truth it took me a while to get into this one but eventually everything started to click and by the end was ready for another Baldacci novel.

Set in 1949 California, Aloysius Archer is on his way to start a new job with a renowned Private Investigator in Bay Town. While stopping off at a casino in Reno he meets an aspiring actress Liberty Callahan. They travel together heading west to California, where Archer is tasked with finding out who is doing everything they can to disrupt the appointment of a top official. Then two seemingly unconnected people are murdered at a burlesque club. In a tight-lipped community, Archer must dig deep to reveal the connection between the victims.

The book is well written with very good characters, after a fairly slow start the novel really stepped up a level and makes a fascinating read. Full of suspense, great characters and an intriguing plot.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for supplying a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.