Hard Luck: A Cat Marsala Mystery [Hardcover]

Barbara D'Amato (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1992

Chicago journalist Cat Marsala decides to investigate the inception of a new Central States Lottery, and when the man she is about to interview falls from a high-rise window and lands at her feet, she suspects foul play.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Chicago freelance journalist Cat Marsala, in her third outing here (after Hardball and Hard Tack ), watches the story of her career land--literally--in front of her when Jack Sligh, an Illinois lottery official, plummets to his death from a skyscraper. Cat recognizes the corpse because she'd made an appointment with Sligh in regard to an article she was writing on the proposed Central States Lottery. Convinced Sligh was pushed, Cat begins an in-depth investigation of his co-workers at the Illinois state lottery as D'Amato develops her solidly plotted story. Many of the employees Cat talks to belong to the large family of Sligh's estranged wife Doris Furman: her sister, brother, nephew, and her father, who may well have mob connections. Cat explores the ramifications the Central States organization might have on the Furman-controlled state lottery to determine what, if anything, Sligh knew or intended to reveal that might have gotten him killed. As the case proceeds, details of Cat's private life, including a parrot that quotes Shakespeare and a boyfriend in a detox unit, give the tough, street-smart reporter a distinctive, warmly human quality. ( May
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Freelance journalist Cat Marsala (Hardball, Hard Tack) hits her stride in this third outing in which Jack Sligh, in charge of advertising for the Illinois State Lottery, plummets to his death, literally at her feet, leaving behind a memo indicating that he wanted to talk to her about misappropriation of lottery funds. Is one of his in-laws responsible? His soon-to-be ex, his sister-in- law, his father-in-law, his brother-in-law, his nephew--all have high-paying, high-powered lottery positions. Could they be skimming off the top? Old man Furman, with longtime mob connections, certainly has the expertise, and his daughter Dorothy surely has the brains and gumption. The more Cat digs, the more she's endangered: her apartment is torched, and finally she has to take to an air duct to escape the family member intent on her destruction. Some too-cute touches, but Cat is emerging as a strong, feminist heroine. In all: nice, unhackneyed treatment of gambling, greed, nepotism, and excitement addicts. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 242 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (May 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684194082
• ISBN-13: 978-0684194080
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,607,818 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dull topic made fascinating, July 2, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Hard Luck (Paperback)

It is truly a shame that Barabara D'Amato seems to get lost among the Mary Higgins Clarks and the James Pattersons.

D'Amato does not go in for cheap thrills and forumla plots that appeal to the most common denominator. Her plots are well-researched and rarely fail to please.

In Hard Luck, we have in series herione Cat Marsala an immensely likeable character. As an investigative freelance reporter, the gal has a real nose for trouble, even when reporting on the most benign subjects.

Was it merely a coincidence that Jack Sligh ends up dead on the day she was supposed to interview him? Jack, it seems, took a nosedive from a significant height and hits the pavement mere feet away from Cat.

Jack was employed by the Illinois State Lottery, and the day before he died, he hinted to Cat that there was some underhanded buisiness going on there. Is there evidence of misappropriation of state lottery funds?

Soon after Jack's plunge, Cat becomes the victim of arson. With a ruined apartment, Cat is quite convinced that Jack's death wasn't suicide.

With a lottery convention in full swing in Chicago, Cat learns as much as she can about the ins and outs of legal gambling, all the while searching for a reason why anyone would want Jack Sligh dead. And her, too.

D'Amato deserves full praise for taking a thoroughly dull subject and making it appealing. The world of legal gambling outside of Las Vegas has never been so fascinating.