Customer Reviews

McNally's Puzzle (Archy McNally Novels)

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

 

 

If you've read the Archy McNally books, you know he has a slightly daft friend who does bird calls, Binky Watrous. In this wonderful installment, Binky goes undercover at a bird store called Parrots Unlimited to find out who is threatening the store's owner, Hiram Gottschalk. Sancho Panza is a motivational consultant compared to Binky, and the complications are hilarious. You'll laugh until it hurts!

Before long, bodies are piling up in all directions. Who did it?

Here's a clue. The book's cover has a parrot on it. If you pay attention to the parrot, you'll get some important leads on who the guilty parties are.

Archy McNally is at his usual prissy best, more concerned about his wardrobe than the mystery. The ladies find him irresistible, and he feels obliged to help out. This gets him into trouble, as usual, with his main squeeze, Connie.

The actual plot is full despicable double-dealing. You'll be glad when the bad guys get it.

Great fun!

An Archy McNally novel is always a lot of fun to read. Interesting characters and a strong plot are the 2 strongest elements in all of these novels. Lawrence Sanders was a master of suspense, and "McNally's Puzzle" is one of the best of the series. Hiram Gottschalk, owner of Parrots Unlimited, a parrot store, believes that his life is in danger, and Archy McNally is called in to make his discreet inquiries. When Gottschalk is murdered, Archy continues his investigation. The list of suspects is long: Peter Gottschalk, Hiram's son, who is a manic-depressive; Gottschalk's twin daughters, Judith and Julia; Hiram's housekeeper and lover, Yvonne Chrisling, and her stepson Ricardo, who manages Parrots Unlmited. Binky Watrous plays a big role as he goes undercover at Parrots Unlimited, and Archy gets a canine friend, Hobo. This is an excellent and fun read!

Lawrence Sanders continues to make Archy McNally one of the best detectives in fiction. I loved this book- the characters are hilarious and the action is entertaining. The pace of the mystery is quick and the clues keep coming. In the end everything comes to a satisfying conclusion, with Archy on top once again. A great Summer read!!

I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Sanders latest Archie McNally mystery. Although not quite as good as his previous McNally mysteries he still was able to weave a spellbinding and factual story. I say not quite as good because, although I never try to solve the mystery, the answer jumped right out at me. I hope he and the McNally family never run out of tales to tell

After two false starts with other authors, I needed someone I could bank on to give me a quick suspense-novel fix. But as entertaining as "Puzzle" was, Lawrence Sanders seems pretty much on autopilot with this one, and there was zero suspense in it as far as I am concerned. But I like the Archie McNally formula, and generally enjoyed the book!

To read through this series like a number of us currently are, one has to suspend any intentions they have of being steeped in serious detective work. Archy doen't take himself seriously.

Read this book to be lightly entertained and slightly amused. Otherwise go read something else.

now, probably if you are into this series and like this guy's style then you loved this book. personally i found it strange: purposely using thise really big unknown words and describing down to the last morsel every piece of food he eats throught the whole book.
ok the puzzle/mystery: great - gets a whole star by itself.

If you are looking for a mystery novel that will not tax your brain and be mildly amusing then McNally's Puzzle is for you. Archy McNally is the Son in McNally and Sons, Attorneys At Law. Not a lawyer, not really a detective, more of a bon vivant who dabbles in crime. The stories (7 to date) take place in Palm Beach, FL and expose us to the upper class life style there. You can at least learn about wines and clothes and fancy food. There are a continuing cast of characters in addition to Archy and some crime. Here the crime is the murder of an elderly parrot shop owner. The suspects are relatively few and it does not take much to figure out who done it right from the start. The parrot tells us!! So if you have time to kill, are looking for some light reading while traveling or just do not want to tax your brain, Archy is your man.

You've got to love Sander's main character, Archy McNally, a private investigator. Told in the first person, it's as though McNally is talking directly to you, the reader. Not afraid to laugh at himself, he has you laughing with him.
Even though it's a "who done it" murder mystery, it is also a reminder that events in our lives can be looked at from several perspectives. Each of the events is only a piece of life's puzzle. I found this an uplifting read.

I liked this one - not because it had much substance, but perhaps because I'm getting nostalgic, as there's only one more Sanders book left. This one included lots of food and drink at the Pelican Club, and his father working his way through Dickens, of course. You gotta love it.