The bestselling author of One Good Deed brings back his straight-talking World War II veteran, Aloysius Archer, in this riveting #1 New York Times bestselling thriller. Fans of Baldacci should go all in for this spicy novel that deals out a hand of brothels, gambling dens, drug operations, and government corruption--all a sure bet for a rollicking good time.
1. One Good Deed
In this debut thriller, bestselling author David Baldacci introduces Aloysius Archer, a straight-talking World War II veteran fresh out of prison. He is paroled to Poca City in 1949 and promptly meets his parole officer, Ernestine Crabtree. She gives him a short list of dos and don'ts: report regularly to her, stay out of bars and avoid loose women.
He doesn't follow her advice, however, and soon finds himself at the center of a bloody game that may put him in harm's way. With a few surprises and revelations along the way, Baldacci weaves a compelling, tense mystery that will have you guessing until the very end.
The story is set in 1949, when America was on the verge of a new boom after the country's victory over Japan in World War II. The era is a time of optimism and technological progress, a period in which people are eager to make money and start their lives again.
When Archer leaves Poca City, he hops on a bus and heads west to Bay Town, California. He's hoping to start a new life as a private investigator, but it's not all smiles and butterflies. He finds himself rubbing elbows with brothels, gambling dens, drug operations and government corruption, and it's not long before his life takes an unexpected turn.
Baldacci engrosses readers in the 1950s through colorful language and historical references, and his writing style is evocative of that time. He also has an excellent eye for detail, describing the clothing, mannerisms and popular culture of the time.
It's an interesting change of pace for Baldacci, who usually writes modern thrillers with clean-cut heroes. He has an intriguing protagonist here, and readers will want to know more about him.
In addition to his good sense of character, Baldacci is a master of plotting and pace. One Good Deed is a fast-paced, thrilling read. It's full of surprises and a little romance, as well.
Baldacci's main characters are complex, and he does a great job of establishing their strengths and weaknesses. He's a great author to read for fans of mystery and historical fiction. He's an incredibly talented writer who deserves his place at the top of the genre.
2. The Midnight Mood
In Baldacci’s new thriller, PI Aloysius Archer returns to the territory he trod in One Good Deed. This time, he’s back in California after serving his prison term on the East Coast.
When Archer lands in Bay Town, he’s immediately thrown into the middle of a political scandal. He’s hired to investigate a blackmail scheme involving a local mayoral candidate, Douglas Kemper.
Archer and his partner, Willie Dash, find themselves in a town full of secrets and strange events. When Kemper’s alleged lover, Ruby Fraser, is found dead at Midnight Moods, the club owned by Sawyer Armstrong, Archer and Dash uncover the connections between both crimes. As the body count rises, it becomes clear that whoever is blackmailing Kemper is targeting him for political gain.
The mystery is complex and twisty, but Baldacci’s characters are well-developed and believable. He has a good handle on small-town America and the post-war atmosphere, which is what makes this story so interesting.
There is a great sense of the era in which this book takes place, particularly in the scene at Maish’s Deli where elderly Jewish men eat and trade stories. The deli is not only home to the oldest Jews in Bay Town, but it’s also a place of religious significance where Jewish traditions are revered and valued.
When the murders occur, Archer and Dash are forced to go undercover and into the heart of the community in order to uncover the truth. They’re soon drawn into a maze of corruption, drug addiction, and long-held family secrets.
As they continue to dig deeper, Archer and Dash discover that the Kemper-Fraser affair isn’t the only secret in Bay Town. Two other people have been killed at Midnight Moods, and the police aren’t sure what’s going on.
The plot thickens as they uncover the real culprit of these two gruesome murders. With a perilous showdown coming up, Archer and Dash need to use all of their skills to uncover the truth before it’s too late.
As usual, Baldacci’s writing is crisp and crisp, his characters are well-developed and his pacing is spot on. The plot is complex and a lot of fun, so I highly recommend this if you enjoy Baldacci’s work.
3. Blackmail
In blackmail, a person threatens to reveal certain private information about another person unless the other person meets specific demands. Typically, these demands include money or other goods or services.
This can be a criminal offense and is punishable by a felony. It can also damage the victim’s reputation or good name.
To be convicted of blackmail, the blackmailer must have threatened violence or other harm to the victim in order to compel them to do something. In addition, they must have demanded a specific action from the victim, like a money payment or sexual favors.
According to the Webster’s New World College Dictionary, blackmail is a term used to describe "the act of threatening to release private information about a person in exchange for money, goods or services." This is a form of extortion and is generally a felony that can lead to long prison sentences.
However, the definition of blackmail can be ambiguous. It can be a crime even if the person using it is innocent of a crime or knows the information that they are threatening to reveal is false. For example, Jack could be guilty of blackmail if he threatened to reveal Bob’s extramarital affairs in exchange for monthly “hush money.”
The word blackmail is derived from the phrase blathaich, meaning to protect, in Scottish Gaelic and Irish. It comes from the tradition of border reivers paying tribute to the people living along their territory in return for protection against raids and other harassment.
It is a common practice in countries where border disputes are prevalent, such as Scotland and England. It is also used in business, as it can be an effective way to sway a client's decision.
In this installment, Archer and Dash investigate a Bay Town political scandal that turns into a twisted blackmail plot. They find themselves in deep trouble, and their investigations take them to San Francisco, Reno and Lake Tahoe. The twisty plot thickens into a cat-and-mouse game among Kemper, Armstrong, Beth -- Kemper's beautiful wife — the police and Archer and Dash. There's plenty of suspense, as Archer repeatedly risks his life to prove his instincts as a gumshoe.
4. The End
Following the events of One Good Dead, World War II veteran Aloysius Archer is paroled and en route to Bay Town, California, where he hopes to land a job with detective Irving Shaw, whose generosity and sage advice have helped him turn his life around. But as Archer makes his way west, he soon finds that the good life in Bay Town may not be so easy to find.
Baldacci evokes the corrupt post-war atmosphere of Los Angeles, a prime location for 1950s noir. He also creates a seedy mob-controlled establishment in Chinatown that blackmails immigrants and takes advantage of their sexual desires for the unorthodox interests of powerful men.
But there is more to the story than meets the eye. Kemper, a prominent politician, has been blackmailed by someone who wants to get rid of him, and Archer, Dash and Beth, the beautiful wife of Kemper's rival Armstrong, all have their own ties to this mysterious plot.
The twisty plot thickens into a cat-and-mouse game between Kemper, Armstrong, Beth, and Dash, with drug addiction and long-held family secrets figuring in as well. It's another fine example of the intricately plotted mysteries Baldacci often provides.
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As usual, Baldacci's character development is excellent, and his semi-platonic relationship with Liberty Callahan is refreshingly sweet. I'm hoping he will make this connection even more clear in the next book, set in 1953.
A Gambling Man is a terrifically fast-paced page-turner full of intrigue and murder. I liked it a lot better than the first in the series, and am looking forward to reading more about Aloysius Archer.
In A Gambling Man, Baldacci once again brings a fresh, witty and intelligent perspective to the classic crime novel. He's more David Goodis than Jim Thompson, but he captures the dark side of 1950s America in all its glitter and corruption.
There's lots of violence, but it's never gratuitous. The characters are well-drawn, and their dialogue is smart. And the plot is a lot of fun, involving brothels, gambling dens, drug operations and government corruption.
Baldacci is a master of the noir thriller, and The End is no exception. He combines historical details, colorful language and descriptions of post-war America with clever plot twists and surprises to deliver an entertaining read.
