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![A Gambling Man [Large Print] by David Baldacci](https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/97gohwhrr54lnj87fnfwg15l69hb)
3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
I alternated between reading and listening to this book. The readers in the audio version had me constantly rolling my eyes. Both versions seemed to drag on and on. This isn’t my typical genre, but it was a book club choice. Otherwise I would have abandoned it after about 75 pages. I know there are tons of DB fans out there - sorry.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
"Where do they make guys like you, Archer? I'd like to buy a dozen."
I don't care what anyone says about this book and/or series so far, Aloysius Archer is my latest fictional husbands! Seriously! That quote sums up Aloysius Archer in a nutshell. Even though he's not yet thirty (and I am thirty) and he's handsome as hell (there, I said it) all I could feel the entirety of this book with Archer had me like....
But in all seriousness I actually did enjoy this one with some references to the mob during this time. Especially after reading/listening to Bill O'Reilley's [b:Killing the Mob: The Fight Against Organized Crime in America|55857470|Killing the Mob The Fight Against Organized Crime in America|Bill O'Reilly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1614082367l/55857470._SY75_.jpg|87069410] and getting to know what post-WWII life was like during the late 40's going into the 50's. And knowing the plot twist of where the story had gone made total sense after that O'Reilley book and so A GAMBLING MAN was almost better than the first one, though Archer just became more swoon worthy for me.
I can see why maybe not many Baldacci fans or people in general might not like the Archer books as much, but keep in mind of where this is taking place. It's going to be a different kind of pace than our time today, it's still a thriller, but in a different era. Also it's a whole new ballpark that not many are used to reading fiction or not. And with that mindset for me personally knowing it wouldn't be as fast paced or as much action as our era and generation is in his normal books, I actually enjoyed these two Archer books! I have found out in a webinar Baldacci did last week with Alex Michaelides I signed up for did mention he was having a third Archer book coming next year (and side note a 7th Amos Decker for any Amos Decker fans) and I was so excited to hear that! Overall, when you read these books, keep that open mind knowing it's a DIFFERENT ERA and it's going to be totally different and yet a good slower pace for the era it's taking place in. But if you still can't get into it, that's fine of course. So in the meantime, I'm going to now go and plan a fictional wedding with Aloysius Archer.
I don't care what anyone says about this book and/or series so far, Aloysius Archer is my latest fictional husbands! Seriously! That quote sums up Aloysius Archer in a nutshell. Even though he's not yet thirty (and I am thirty) and he's handsome as hell (there, I said it) all I could feel the entirety of this book with Archer had me like....
But in all seriousness I actually did enjoy this one with some references to the mob during this time. Especially after reading/listening to Bill O'Reilley's [b:Killing the Mob: The Fight Against Organized Crime in America|55857470|Killing the Mob The Fight Against Organized Crime in America|Bill O'Reilly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1614082367l/55857470._SY75_.jpg|87069410] and getting to know what post-WWII life was like during the late 40's going into the 50's. And knowing the plot twist of where the story had gone made total sense after that O'Reilley book and so A GAMBLING MAN was almost better than the first one, though Archer just became more swoon worthy for me.
I can see why maybe not many Baldacci fans or people in general might not like the Archer books as much, but keep in mind of where this is taking place. It's going to be a different kind of pace than our time today, it's still a thriller, but in a different era. Also it's a whole new ballpark that not many are used to reading fiction or not. And with that mindset for me personally knowing it wouldn't be as fast paced or as much action as our era and generation is in his normal books, I actually enjoyed these two Archer books! I have found out in a webinar Baldacci did last week with Alex Michaelides I signed up for did mention he was having a third Archer book coming next year (and side note a 7th Amos Decker for any Amos Decker fans) and I was so excited to hear that! Overall, when you read these books, keep that open mind knowing it's a DIFFERENT ERA and it's going to be totally different and yet a good slower pace for the era it's taking place in. But if you still can't get into it, that's fine of course. So in the meantime, I'm going to now go and plan a fictional wedding with Aloysius Archer.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was okay. I wouldn't read it again.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have loved hard boiled noir detective stories since i was young, and A Gambling Man by David Baldacci is just that. It's the second book about Aloysius Archer and they only get better for every book. It's almost 1950 and Archer is moving west to see if he has what it takes to be a private investigator. On his way he wins some money in a casino in Reno and that leads him to a 1939 Delahaye and the company of liberty who wants to be a moviestar. After a long roadtrip they get to Bay Town California where Archer takes his first steps as a P.I. Then the troubles arrive, while investigating a blackmailing it soon turns into murder. I really like this new series, well written as everything by Baldacci.
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Now I thought the flow was a little strange. Half the book is about Archer making a pit stop in Reno and then travelling to Bay Town with Liberty; the case doesn’t properly start until the halfway mark. But then I found out that Liberty showed up in the third book, which mean that the rather long-winded start of this book was to set up the context behind the relationship between Archer and Liberty. Understanding that she’s meant to stay as a part of his narrative helped me appreciate the plot set-up more. As with the first book the pace is slow, but I like Archer a lot so I enjoyed this (and rushed to get the third book after)!
This was an audiobook. So very good! I can't wait to read the third one.
DNF…I’ve read a lot of Baldacci novels over the years, but this one wasn’t quite cutting it for me. I think the imitation of a hard boiled mystery came off as just that: an imitation. Full disclosure, I don’t like the “authentic” 1930s/40s hard boiled mysteries anyway, so it’s really not a knock on this book per se. But still, it was an interesting foray for the author!
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No