Customer Reviews

Mr. Lucky: A Novel of High Stakes (Tony Valentine Novels)

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James Swain's "Mr. Lucky" is a cleverly written, highly entertaining mystery that grabs attention from the first page and doesn't let go. Ricky Smith is the perpetual loser who uncannily strikes it rich, not just once but repeatedly, cleaning up in Vegas at Black Jack, craps, roulette, and even poker, taking a Vegas casino for a cool one-million in a single crazy night. But Smith's luck doesn't stop, as he picks a $50-grand scratch-off sweapstakes ticket and wins the annual charity raffle in hometown Slippery Rock, North Carolina. Suspecting they've been swindled, the casino hires Tony Valentine, former Atlantic City casino cop and expert in gambling scams and cons. Swain, who in real life is in fact an authority in the ways casinos can be swindled, spins a fascinating story that is as revealing as it is fun. Swain's prose is refreshing free of self-importance, breezing through the pages with an unencumbered confidence and dark humor that is easy to take. Put your feet up, sit back and enjoy Swain's guided tour through Vegas casinos and Mississippi river boat gambling barges, of hookers and Carolina hillbillies and redneck thugs, while the cagey Tony Valentine unravels "Mr. Lucky's" sudden streak of good fortune. Fiction at its finest, this was my first James Swain/Tony Valentine novel - it surely won't be my last.

This was my first experience with Mr. Swain's writing and his central character, Tony Valentine. It won't be my last. In fact I have already ordered all of his previous novels and if that isn't an indication of how talented this writer is as a story teller, than I don't know what is. Mr. Lucky is a book you read just for it's sheer entertainment value. Ricky Smith, a loser all of his life, has just won $20,000 gambling in Las Vegas. He has brought a georgeous babe up to his room to celebrate. She has her own ideas of celebration and tries to slip him a Mickey which he catches her at. In the midst of throwing her out of his room, he discovers the hotel on the Vegas strip is on fire. There is no escape for Ricky except to jump from his balcony. His luck continues and he survives the fall and then goes on one of the most remarkable gambling streaks that has ever been seen in Las Vegas. It is almost too good to be true, which is exactly what the casino owners in Vegas believe and his million or so dollars in winnings are held up pending an investigation. Enter Tony Valentine, owner of Grift Sense, a gambling consulting company and one of the most knowledgeable men on the face of the earth concerning scams that people try to perpetrate on casinos. Tony sets out to try and explain how such a streak of luck is a con and while he is doing it, Ricky continues his streak winning a lottery drawing and picking three winners in a horse race to show his luck is still holding.

Checking Ricky out takes Tony to Slippery Rock, NC, Ricky's sleepy home town and it takes his son on a trip to Mississippi where Ricky has bested one of the top poker players in the world in a game of Texas Hold 'Em. Their investigations follow their own courses as they probe deeper into how one man can be so lucky and that is all you really need to know right now, except to say that you will get an education concerning the darker side of the gambling industry and be totally engrossed in the story and it's many characters until at last the truth is discovered.

I bought this book on a hunch that I would like it based on the revews I had seen. That was a lucky on my part and you can get it on it too. It's a winner!!

In series novels there comes a time when the writer either makes or breaks. This novel is IT and if you have been following the Tony Valentine series and are considering this book - BUY IT. This is fast paced, action, wit, and just enough of the "Gizmo" (dishonest gambling) to keep you reading all night.

The dual plot (Tony and Jerry) is well developed and could be a little more interrelated, but Jerry finally becomes more than a cardboard cut out. In this novel he is in contact with his father learning the family casino detective trade by way of trial and error and with some long distance help from dad while Tony is concerned with the main plot. Enough is said in other reviews concerning the role of "Mr. Lucky" and it is a shame to tell much, but the implications of big cheating is big money and bigger schemes and Swain plays this well.

The added attraction in this novel is the consideration, not in any preaching fashion, but reflectively of the moral and ethical implications of actions: is it proper to simply cut an addicted gambler loose, what is the role of the community in developing a gambling culture, what harm comes to innocents? And in a modern society, how does all this lead to violence? Swain does not preach, but like Tony he knows cause and effect. Come to think of it, logical analysis is very much in the center of his writing.

Tony Valentine, ex-cop, specializes in casino gambling scams. Ricky Smith comes to his attention after a phenomenal run of good luck in Las Vegas. Not only does Smith miraculously escape a raging hotel fire, but he cleans the clock at a casino with a phenomenal string of bank-breaking wins at roulette, craps, even triumphing over the world's greatest poker player.

Can anyone be so lucky? Valentine's job is to find out.

The plot takes off from there. Valentine goes to the small town of Slippery Rock NC to quietly investigate. His cover is soon blown and Ricky Smith becomes his inseparable companion and goes on to win at horse racing, even a raffle.

Swain does a marvelous job of complicating the plot at every turn, without losing his way. The characters, including Valentine's errant son, are richly detailed and believable.

The conclusion is (happily) difficult to predict and by the time you're time, the entire experience is satisfying. Swain is good!

Jerry

Easily the best in the Tony Valentine series, this is one worth discovering even for those who haven't read the previous series titles. This time around, Valentine is hired to figure out how Ricky Smith (the Mr. Lucky of the title) is turning everything he touches to gold.

Valentine is a rarity among protagonists, an older gentleman who manages to hold his own pretty well, while still managing to seem human and vulnerable. Too many characters in such novels seem to possess almost superhuman abilities, but Valentine is a fallible hero. The other characters aren't flushed out as well as Tony, but they're still interesting.

The action is paced well, scenes of physical altercations interspersed nicely with thought and discussion. One minor complaint I have is that the dialogue sometimes seems stilted, but it doesn't detract from enjoyment of the novel.

I'd recommend this for anyone who likes a fast-paced read with some mystery thrown in the mix. It's a truly enjoyable book with an excellent lead character. And you really can't beat that price!

If you like to think, are curious about how cheaters cheat, and like characters you can care about, then Mr. Lucky is for you. James Swain brings us another Tony Valentine novel that finds the casino consultant stumped by Ricky Smith of Slippery Rock, North Carolina. Rick Smith survives a casino hotel fire by jumping from a fifth-floor balcony - and then wins at everything he plays.

Meanwhile Tony has his son Gerry take a trip for him to Mississippi. There Gerry finds himself involved with the Mississippi Mafia as he tries to interview a world-class Texas Hold 'Em player that Ricky beat out of $250,000 in 20 minutes while in Vegas.

And in between we find Mabel, Tony's assistant, trying to solve some scams on her own, doing it for bragging rights and a bonus. She also takes Gerry's wife, Yolanda to a town in Florida where two retired clowns show them that all is not what it seems - in the circus or in life. They also learn that carneys care, and once a friend, always a friend - which turns out to be a lifesaver!

There are characters to love, characters to hate, and characters to feel sorry for on both sides of the law. It's also a fascinating look at how casinos work - and how the casinos get taken. This well-written, fast-paced book is peppered with wonderful quirky characters. James Swain is fast becoming a must read for me.

Sometimes a book will sit for a while before it gets read. Others appear more appealing. I won't make that mistake again. The author manages to teach you something each book, and that makes it valuable. A good puzzle,interesting characters, and the pages turn quickly.

Ricky Smith had a hot hand. After escaping a major hotel fire in Vegas Ricky crosses the street and proceeds to break the casino playing jackpot, never losing a hand. His luck at roulette and craps is equally good, and Ricky even manages to win $50,000 in a scratch-off lottery game.

Tony Valentine, ex-Atlantic City cop turned casino fraud investigator gets on the case and for once he is stumped. He moves temporarily to Slippery Rock NC (note to Jim Swain-It's Sliding Rock that's outside Brevard) and uncovers a town awash in greed but precious little evidence.

Swain's book are usually filled with failed gambling scams but this work is a veritable reference book on how to beat the odds on cheating, at least till Tony gets on your case. It is a wonderful read although real cops and prosecutors would not have had the trouble Swain suggests in prosecuting the large group of conspirators. It is a minor flaw in the middle of major entertainment.

This is a very entertaining crime/mystery novel. I liked the characters in the story . They were well developed for this type of genre. The information on methods used to cheat the casinoes was interesting (You can never cheat a casino.).I never predicted the ending.This is a great book for a weekend.

"Mr. Lucky" is the nick-name given to North Carolina small-town loser Ricky Smith, who has just won a million dollars from the Mint casino in Las Vegas. Ricky won the cool million on an amazing string of wins; first at the blackjack table, then at craps, and finally at the roulette wheel. But his streak of luck was too perfect, and the management at The Mint is stalling in paying off his winnings. In the mean time, they've sent their security video tapes to ex-copy Tony Valentine, owner of the "Grift Sense" detective agency and expert on casino cheating. Initially, Tony is stumped by the tapes and can't see a scam, so he decides to pay a visit to Mr. Smith in his home town of Slippery Rock, North Carolina.

Once Tony arrives in North Carolina, he begins to suspect that the winning streak was not legitimate, and he uncovers a host of other funny bets in town. The action is non-stop, and the detecting is great fun. In this fifth Tony Valentine novel, Tony even gets his neighbor Mabel involved in the sleuthing. Also, Tony is trying to give his troubled son Gerry a chance to help him in his business. Gerry finds himself in Gulfportm Mississippi, sent to interview a legendary poker player who was also fleeced by Ricky. In Gulfport, Gerry gets mixed up with some very bad characters in the Dixie Mafia. THe climax of the story is great!

As author Swain continues to write this series, the character of Tony's son Gerry develops a lot. In "Mr. Lucky", Gerry struggles with his conscience and makes some good choices. This series keeps getting better and better! Veteran readers will enjoy this book, but newcomers to the series can enjoy this ride too.