Rating: 
Summary: Archy has lost his sparkle
Review: That inherrent something "Archy" about Archy McNally seems to have died with Sanders. While Lombardo seems quite capable, Archy seems to be turning into one of those eccentric bachelor men you just sort of feel sorry for. He used to be mischevious, now he seems more self-centered. I guess (correctly) at who did it (though not the means of delivering the poison); what character was a red herring; and what I thought were some very obvious connections between various agencies. All in all, an easy, pleasant read, but not anything like the earlier books.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Lawerence Sanders
Review: The story is good, and follows the tradition of the MaNally books. But it does not have the same feel, I just didn't get the same impressions from the main character, Archy McNally!
Rating:
Summary: Is this a murder mystery?
Review: This is not your typical murder mystery. For one thing, nobody drops dead until well after halfway into the story, and, there is not a lot of interest on any of the parties in discovering the murderer, until the end. I was not particularly satisfied with that. The focus for most of the book is on a psychic, who is suspected of being a charlaton. McNally is trying to discover how he gets his psychic powers. Once discovered, I felt the story went out with a bit of a whimper. As usual, though, the lighthearted style of the McNally series is entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Is this a murder mystery?
Review: This is not your typical murder mystery. For one thing, nobody drops dead until well after halfway into the story, and, there is not a lot of interest on any of the parties in discovering the murderer, until the end. I was not particularly satisfied with that. The focus for most of the book is on a psychic, who is suspected of being a charlaton. McNally is trying to discover how he gets his psychic powers. Once discovered, I felt the story went out with a bit of a whimper. As usual, though, the lighthearted style of the McNally series is entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: McNally lives on.....
Review: Three cheers for Vincent Lardo for allowing the fans of Lawrence Sanders to continue enjoying one of his most beloved characters. I've been reading Sanders for years & was truly saddened at both HIS passing & that of Archy. But lo & behold, here comes Mr. Lardo with Archy at his heels! I was truly amazed as I read this latest adventure... if I hadn't known that Mr. Sanders had passed on, I would've sworn his pen had been inking this latest Palm Beach caper. Just as Sanders' writing made us see the McNally home & its traditional trappings & feel the ocean breezes flowing thru the Pelican Club, so does Mr. Lardo allow us to taste every morsel from Ursi's kitchen & gasp in delight at Archy's attire. If you loved Sanders, you'll love Lardo. He has captured Archy for all of us. To paraphrase McNally, he has given unto us a break!
Rating: 
Summary: McNally lives on....
Review: Three cheers for Vincent Lardo! I've been a Lawrence Sanders fan for over 20 years & when I heard he had passed away, I was saddened also for the loss of Archy McNally. But lo & behold! Along comes Mr. Lardo, who has captured the charm & wit of Archy, & given us another Palm Beach adventure. True to the Sanders format, you'll be able to taste the foods coming out of Ursi's kitchen, feel the ocean breezes cooling the Pelican Club, & laugh merrily at the colorful costumes Archy finds in his wardrobe. To paraphrase Archy, everyone who loves him will be thanking Vincent Lardo for having given unto us a break!
Rating:
Summary: Well-Done!
Review: To take on a deceased author's much-admired creation cannot be an easy task. Yet Vincent Lardo perfectly has caught the flavor of the beloved character of Archy McNally, which originally was created by the late Lawrence Sanders. He's caught the rhythm of the narrative, the sense of place, the voice of the protagonist. So if you loved Sanders' Archy, you won't notice much difference in Lardo's version. And if you like to read a good mystery about the high life, Palm Beach, tropical nights, gourmet foods, and, oh yes, romance, then any of the McNally books should hit the spot. Doesn't matter whether the author was Lawrence or Vince. These are fun reads, the published equivalents of sneaking potato chips. You won't want to stop with just one.
Rating:
Summary: Nice to have our Friend Archy Back
Review: Vincent Lardo's second installment in the long-running Archy McNally series, created by the late Lawrence Sanders, is another faithful follow-on. The plot theoretically revolves around an amateur production of "Arsenic and Old Lace." Nevertheless, all of us now know that the Archy McNally novels just use a threadbare plot to romp the colorful oddball characters through in an unbelievable maze of interconnected and naughty relationships. Lust and greed are the central themes, never a coherent plot.Lardo has fully captured the style of Lawrence Sanders with all of the fun characters, silly Palm Beach social scene, and unfortunately all of the inconsistencies, unexplained dead-ends, useless daydreaming and self-indulgence that somehow never really coalesce into a plot. Let's not dwell on that too much. Lawrence Sander's great strength in this series was to keep you awash in the interesting characters and lead you to an inevitable conclusion that only his socialite-detective could not foretell. To be honest, I wish Lardo would lose the endless pages, the last pages of each chapter, where Archy ruminates full of foreboding about the obvious. This series is light-hearted fun, and it is nice that Vincent has been so adroit in continuing it. I worry that this series could die but for the staunch cadre of Archy lovers that keeps it alive. Frankly, this series is turning into a very "inside" experience, where much of the fun of the book is revisiting familiar characters. I don't think that this publication stands-up well on its own. I hope Vincent Lardo can craft a more polished story to parade our delightful Palm Beach eccentrics through in his inevitable third contribution to the McNally franchise.
Rating:
Summary: Surprise Surprise
Review: When I saw Vincent Lardos name on the cover of this one, my first reaction was "Oh No! What happened to Lawrence Sanders?" I immediatly feared the worst, but I bought the book and decided to read it with an open mind. My biggest surprise was finding out that Mr. Lardo also penned the last McNally book and I hadn't even realized it. With that said, I found the latest book to be quite good, following Archy's exploits as he unravels a mystery involving the cast and crew of a Palm Beach production of "Arsenic and Old Lace". A very appropriate play considering the fact that cast members keep passing away via arsenic in their drinks. While Mr. Nardo's Archy lacks a bit of the swish that characterized Lawrence Sander's character, I found the book a good read. With Sander's passing we can all be thankful that Archy continues to grace our bookshelves, and I, for one, look forward to the continuing exploits of our hero. "One never knows, do one?
Rating:
Summary: Surprise Surprise
Review: When I saw Vincent Lardos name on the cover of this one, my first reaction was "Oh No! What happened to Lawrence Sanders?" I immediatly feared the worst, but I bought the book and decided to read it with an open mind. My biggest surprise was finding out that Mr. Lardo also penned the last McNally book and I hadn't even realized it. With that said, I found the latest book to be quite good, following Archy's exploits as he unravels a mystery involving the cast and crew of a Palm Beach production of "Arsenic and Old Lace". A very appropriate play considering the fact that cast members keep passing away via arsenic in their drinks. While Mr. Nardo's Archy lacks a bit of the swish that characterized Lawrence Sander's character, I found the book a good read. With Sander's passing we can all be thankful that Archy continues to grace our bookshelves, and I, for one, look forward to the continuing exploits of our hero. "One never knows, do one?
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