McNally's Gamble (Archy McNally) (Paperback)

by Lawrence Sanders (Author) "HERE'S AN ANECDOTE YOU MAY FIND DIFFIcult to believe..." (more)
Key Phrases: family cocktail hour, investment adviser, Frederick Clemens, Sydney Smythe, Palm Beach (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Archy McNally, the hero of Lawrence Sander's latest whodunit McNally's Gamble is a throwback to an earlier, more gracious age. He lives well, dresses well, and keeps hours that Dashiell Hammet's "Thin Man," Nick Charles, would approve of. When not wining, dining, or driving his fire-engine red Miata around Palm Beach, Archy keeps discreet tabs on the wealthy clients of his father's law firm. Then one day, Edythe Westmore, a well-to-do widow, considers buying a Fabergé Imperial Egg and all hell breaks loose. Her children are displeased, her lawyer (Archy's father) is concerned, and Archy is up to his neck in intrigue.

Sanders writes a serviceable mystery, but the real pleasure in McNally's Gamble is Archy. Imagine Bertie Wooster as a detective, or Lord Peter Wimsey a Floridian, and you'll have some idea of Archy. Though he describes himself as "a frivolous scatterbrain," he has enough discipline to solve the case and, by the end, land the girl, as well. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
Sanders's venerable creation, playboy sleuth Archy McNally, finds yet more greed, envy, and murder among Florida's rich and famous-and all because of the Faberge Imperial egg that, much to her children's consternation, the widowed Edythe Westmore would like to buy.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (June 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425162591
• ISBN-13: 978-0425162590
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #718,018 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars McNally's Gamble, July 28, 2001

By	Ricky C. Nelson (Commerce, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: McNally's Gamble (Hardcover)

"McNally's Gamble" is the last Archie McNally novel written by Lawrence Sanders, who died in February 1998. Archie makes discreet inquiries into the purchase of a Faberge egg by a client of his father's law firm, Edythe Westmore. It becomes clear that Mrs. Westmore may become the victim of a con. Edythe's children, Walter and Natalie are especially opposed to their mother's spending $500,000 on the egg. Archie is taken by Natalie, and despite his relationship with Connie Garcia, he partakes in Natalie's sexual favors. I have read all the Archie McNally novels by Lawrence Sanders, and plan to read the Vincent Lardo novels soon. An Archie McNally novel is always a lot of fun to read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars McNally at it again!, July 5, 2000

By	Keith A Lansford (Aurora, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: McNally's Gamble (Hardcover)

McNally's Gamble provides yet another fun and witty Discreet Inquiry, chock full of Archy's illustrious wit and humor, as well as a clever storyline. Unfortunately, it offered fewer suprises than previous McNally jaunts and the villian was ever-so obvious. Still, it delivered what I expected and had hoped for -- a witty tale full of boisterous fun, eyebrow-raising espacades, a few more notches in the bedpost, and plenty of stops at the Pelican club. Not the best, but worth the addition to your McNally anthology.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not great, August 14, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Granville, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

I have read all of the McNally books and did not think "Gamble" was as good as the others. Somewhat predictable, actually. Sanders' other efforts had more suspense and moved along quicker. In "Gamble" the plot and culprits were clear very early in the narrative and in my opinion, left little to the imagination. "Gamble" left me wanting more, while the others were more satisfying. Still, there is much to like about Archy. Even with all his swimming, he must weight 300 pounds!