Customer Reviews

McNally's Caper (Thorndike Press Large Print Paperback Series)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

McNally, the title character, is quite a charmer. His pretentions and self-mocking attitudes make him likeable. The plot of this book isn't revolutionary and the end is dissapointinlgly predictable, however, it is still an enjoyable read. The ending doesn't wrap up in a completely neat way, which I wouldn't object to, but the rest of the book (including the last page where McNally says he wanted iot to be more cut and dried) seems to lead to a more solid resolution. All in all, I'd still reccomend this as a light pleasure read, great for beaches and subway rides.

This book had most of the delicious features of the other McNally books, but was missing something. I guess the killer's motivation was a little weak. Also, some of the juicy details were never wrapped up (e.g., why the nude photo collection?). McNally's case revolves around an eccentric family of nuts. He feels pity for the sane little 8 year old girl, who suffers with bitter parents. The killer was fairly easy to guess, and the show down near the end was dramatic.

This is the fourth book in the McNally series that I have read and Sanders has crafted a solid mystery. I enjoyed the first two books in the series better (McNALLY'S SECRET and McNALLY's LUCK) because CAPER was fairly predictable as other reviewers have noted. But if you enjoy the series you'll enjoy this book. Nothing outstanding but still solid.

First in a long line of great mystery novels by Sanders. I really enjoy this setting of this and the following series of books. I can 't wait till the next one comes out. Recommended highly

One of the rare instances when Archie doesn't do what he is supposed to do. Extremely entertaining and funny as ususal. My husband and I enjoy listening to Sanders books on McNally and we have learned to carry a dictionary with us to figure out what some of the obscure words mean. Well worth the money spent on it.

Once more Lawrence Sanders casts his eye over some odd ball inhabitants of Palm Beach, Florida. Through Archy McNally, a local layabout from a wealthy family, Sanders is again able to play fast and loose with the Queen's English, and display his tastes in cars, clothes, food and wine. This novel is perhaps a touch too clever, and while entertaining, does not build up the story to the extent that the reader can get deeply involved.

Reminiscent of the great sandwiches and drinks that Edward X. Delaney shared with us in the Deadly Sin novels, Arch McNally continues the tradition. I would love to visit the Pelican Club for a month, trying each of Mr. Pettibone's drinks and Priscilla's sandwiches, then go for a long swim in the ocean.

This is the 4th book in the McNally's series, and I've read them in sequence. They're highly formulaic but still enjoyable. The main character continues to be a lovable rogue, mostly amoral but still with certain personal limits, so it is not surprising that he sleeps with various available women in the first 3 books.

But -- SPOILER ALERT -- in this one he sleeps with a woman who is married, living with her husband and planning to continue that way. And -- lest you think that he was momentarily carried away by passion -- he sleeps with her two more times.

Suddenly, to this reviewer at least, McNally has become a less lovable and much more unattractive figure.

...a mucho rich client of McNally and Son, Attorney at Law hires Archy McNally to find out who's been lifting some priceless artifacts from a huge mansion. Among these items is a one of a kind edition of an Edgar Allen Poe novel. As Archy investigates (he goes to chez Forsythe under the pretense that the pater-familias has hired him to catalog his massive library) he finds that everyone in the household is some kinda nut case, except for the youngest member, a little girl named Lucy who is more mature and more lucid than anyone around. Someone tries to kill the one of the ladies of the house and then the pater familias is warned with a note saying "Your Next"...which wouldn't in itself be much of a crime, but when he does winds up dead, everyone in the mansion and the surrounding horse stables becomes a suspect. Except for Archy's new little girl friend, Lucy.

Archy bribes most of his informants with dinners, cases of booze and weekends in the Bahamas....to get the info he needs to help the crusty ol' police sargent put the kibosh on the murderer. But Archy also comes dangerouly close to complicating matters with some injudicious bedhoppings. What helps the novel become a fun read is because Archy fancies himself as a gourmand of sorts and he always tells you what he's had for breakfast, lunch and dinner and Archy is a ladies man and he always tells you what his leading ladies--especially his main squeeze, Connie--is looking like when he approaches them. Sanders has managed to put a British styled murder mystery smack in the midst of South Florida...

McNally's CAPER was not offered on a Super Shipper Savings, at the time of my preparing to read and review it (I had a dusty, used copy in my personal library). In fact, this book's Amazon buying page wasn't linked into the rest of the series' buying pages. Ultimately, I resorted to searching for it on Amazon under Sanders name; it was a few pages down on that list. Once on the purchase page, I was puzzled to note that many reviews, even Archy stalwarts, had concluded that this novel is not as good as the others in the McNally series. (This is not a criticism of Amazon, but rather a compliment that it's so easy to search for details, and learn about a book merely from the way its presented here.)

That said, I'm sorry; I can't help it. It's just me:

The depressing situation of this book's buying page surged a desire to "save" McNally's CAPER by attempting to unearth its core of value, as I read. In order to do this, I would have to also understand what might have struck certain readers wrong.

Possibly the opening chapter's continued reference, applying various terms and methods, to the whole world being crazy struck too close to home, since Archy allowed no one escape from his pronouncement. Readers might have balked and bleated, "We're NOT crazy; speak for yourself."

Of course what Sanders was likely aiming for was to bait curiosity about precisely WHY Archy had been brought to that dastardly conclusion about the whole of the human race, and of reality itself.

In addition to sighting askance from CAPER'S proclamations of Bubbles Off Plumb, possibly mystery buffs are generally a bit too rule conscious to cozy up to the stretch of ethics of the opening chapter's widow shoplifter resolution (which I thought was in exquisite taste as a tantalizing "prologue" presenting tantamount thematic keys). This novel was dealing with extended eccentrics, and with a subtly sour attitude in Archy; yet his crankiness toward the chaotic castle he was about to become undercover-ed within was an intrigue enhancement, for me. Made me curious about the enthrallment effect of the Gothic castle setting; I looked forward to rambling in exploration.

Early on in the plot, Sanders repeatedly referred to classic literature & TV episodes, focusing on the zany/crazy and whimsical/farcical, like Alice In Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Adams Family, etc., all of which could become easy turn offs to readers accustomed to Archy & company being perky, yet refreshingly sane and conventionally unconventional, with just the right tinge of acceptable eccentricity. When that tinge tags over the line, the whole shebang becomes Farce or Satire; and possibly Archy's capture core is that he has seated into the mainstream novel category, in which readers can identify with heroic, even if off-beat, character tangents. That somewhat conservative, respectable balance with the precise amount and slant of humor is vital for a drama/comedy to avoid slipping into farce, which has a limited audience, myself included in that limitation. I need to be able to identify somewhat with most of the characters, and "live" in a setting and plot, which can be effervescent or dank, but not lacking absolutely in a foundation in conventional reality.

Too far in any direction of that continuum is too far. (Took my wisdom herbs this morning, can you tell? Yeah, maybe I'd better check the label's death date.)

Sanders appears to have been a type of author who needed to push envelopes to see when they fall off the desk. That may be the segment of his talent which allowed him to write such riveting, dramatic, mainstream novels in a variety of types, with complex levels of dark/light balance.

After reading the scene of Archy meeting Lucy, whom it appeared to me that Sanders wanted readers to see as another version of Alice, Dorothy, or ... (for the moment, I forget what other girl child heroines have seated into classic fiction and fairytale lore), I immediately began struggling with the ambivalent feelings that this girl was going to be different, maybe darker, maybe brighter; she'd certainly have a heavier (or maybe lighter?) spin on an archetypal characterization.

Throughout the read, with the repeated foreboding that the denouement in this offering would be heinous, would shake the faith of humanity, would convince the reader that the whole world was crazy; I kept wondering what could be more heinous than ... heinous.

Throughout the read I continued wondering what had turned off many of the reviewers, or caused them to dim the lights on this one, almost proclaiming it the runt of the litter. For me, runts offer the best type of hero material, hiding subtle but gorgeous gems, which must be studied in quiet contemplation to be seen clearly, or at all.

As noted above, some readers might not like the continued wholesale collection of and references to zany, wacky worlds created in other works of fiction. To me these were intriguing, like a message of great thematic importance was connected to them. The repetition of variations on the words "crazy" and "heinous" were at plethora levels.

Each repetition renewed my conviction that Sanders was attempting a major revelation in CAPER, and felt he might not be able to quite get it across accurately without losing his readers.

I noticed that Archy's attempts to justify his infidelity to Consuela, and his ignoring phoning her when he'd said that he would, etc., felt more caddish (it was almost lazy) than in other books in series. Yet, when Connie said, "No. I'll call YOU tonight" in response to Archy's promise to call her, I clapped (mentally), since I had been wondering why she didn't just phone Archy instead of waiting for his (lack of) dial up.

In addition to that lift of my spirits from Connie's finally "getting Archie's number," I was warmed by Archy's continued exchanges with Lucy; those scenes drew me more deeply into the plot, and were ironically enhanced by the seeming increase in CAPER of the elder McNally's ungracious, chilled demeanor. "What is it NOW, Archy," was repeated each time Archy approached his pater with vital info he had been asked to obtain, yet Archy seemed to take this impatience in stride. It wasn't until the ending scenes that the sire asked, "What is it Archy" sans "now."

Archy's father definitely seemed more impatient here than in other books I've read in this series, and was painted by Archy with less of a cushion of expressed understanding "from whence the mood had arisen," explaining it thereby. Maybe he was setting up a contrast to allow the ending scenes more impact. If so, it worked.

Not only were the relationships with le pater and Constance more constantly tested here; Connie seemed more testy than normal, and Archy seemed to be pushing his need to taste a variety of women, and to explore the more seamy, heartless, bloodless sexual expressions. His scenes with Silvia were clearly a toe in the water of an "evil" he described as whimsical, almost whispering-ly angelic, careless and thoughtless; and his conclusions were fascinating, at the time, and later, of the type of perversion which some of the characters embodied so readily and compulsively.

In this novel the characters, including Archy, periodically descend into various dark (or bitter) moods, but the kicker angle of angst was that restless type of empty depression which chains a soul to a dissatisfied body, agonizing over a primal moan, "Is this all there is." With that restless emptiness being the most painful (and terrifying) type of depression I've experienced, I understand why readers might not welcome a book in which a master wordsmith nearly drowns them (periodically) in those feelings. Yet, while Sanders allowed Archy to extend more than a toe into this emotional miasma, he also highlighted rainbows and silver linings (often of the munching, swilling, swallowing type), without allowing those to become cloying.

It appeared to me as if Sanders were studying that edgy mood of ennui which was so adeptly dramatized in THE GREAT GATSBY, the "mood disorder" which can drive some people into the visceral dungeons of heinous acts.

Archy is such an unlikely character to immerse himself into this type of mood, even with the noble purpose of understanding its every nook.

Archy is asking the big WHY(s)!!???

Why (maybe even "How") do people descend into acts of heinous crimes.

In an apparent attempt to ferret the taproot of Evil, in CAPER Sanders drops Archy into the dank dungeons of the human mind in which the soul is twisted as the mind is warped. One of the strongest dramatizations of the wispy, light (odorous) breath of this simple essence is in the first sexual consummation scene between Archy and Sylvia, in room 309, mentioned briefly above, which takes place in the barely classy Michelangelo motel (bordello) used for this type of carefree romp by various members of the Griswold household. In fact, Archy's every exchange with Sylvia is deeply telling, especially in contrast to the collection of dark females in the plot, and even more especially, in contrast to his Connie (there's another Consuela in this one).

In concluding scenes, which were exquisite, several "keeper" conclusions ("answers" to the big questions this plot poses) are zinged out by le pater, Archie, and Al.

And, finally, in my conclusion I'll say that, even though they had an overall positive (intriguing, engrossing) rather than negative (boring or overly uncomfortable) effect on me, as noted, I can see the variety of angles which might have dimmed the response of some readers and diminished the buying page position this novel holds on Amazon (held at the time of this review's posting).

I've even wondered if the less radiant cover colors, or the earlier grumpy looking photo of Sanders, or the different promo blurb focus might have something to do with the caching of CAPER'S draw.

Whatever. CAPER deserves another shot at shining (though the sheen might be subtle and eerily silent, it would be gorgeous), equal to or above the other original seven books. For me, this novel was every bit as engrossing, entertaining, and satisfying as SECRET, LUCK, RISK, TRIAL, PUZZLE, and GAMBLE; as noted here, in some ways CAPER is richer, like a full-bodied, complex, dry red wine with smoky breaths of woody violets and a nearly imperceptible wisp of grape (Concords). Archie's relationships with other characters are clearly richer, especially the connection with detective Al Rogoff.

I'm crossing fingers that this attention might surge an interest in giving CAPER another chance. A book often takes a year of an author's life-force to accomplish, then almost as much from agents, editors, and the publisher's work force.

It seems shame to let a good book down (even if the author may be currently in the presence of Michelangelo himself, with both souls no longer in need of uplift, appreciation, or of anything at all.)

A Gambler on Value, even though it be in the dim light of twilight,

Linda G. Shelnutt