McNally's Risk (Archy McNally Novels (Paperback))

Rating:
Summary: This One's Got More Twists than a Chubby Checker CD...
Review: ...Dapper Palm Beach PI Archy McNally has been requested by a monied client of his father's law firm to check the background of Theodosia Johnson, a beautiful neo socialite in the south Floridian circles, and soon to be married to an heir of a fortune...McNally cajoles, bribes with meals and pays off his many sources--caterers, barkeeps and newspapermen--but information about the lass starts coming in seemingly disconnected pieces, until the artist of a masterful portrait of Theodosia winds up with a knife in his throat and a stripper who seems to be into extortion gets a bullet thru her head and the rightful heir to the artist's estate is found strangled in her SUV under water. McNally falls for the mysterious lady (Madame X) further complicating things, and a creepy thug with Michigan plates on his Cadillac is seen once too often near several of these disconnected pieces. This is Sanders in his element--a likable, idiosyncratic, quippy fella (McNally--who may or may not be like the author) who has excesses very much like the real crooks against the backdrop of a glamorous area solving a heinous crime. While you read you can probably guess who ultimately is the culprit of the dastardly deeds, but the big, big fun is how Sanders chooses to get us to the punchline. A page turning enjoyable read for all....

Rating:
Summary: A playboy indeed.
Review: I am in the midst of reading the most entertaining mystery series around, and I can't wait to get the next McNally book. McNally, the playboy of Florida's gold coast, wines and dines multiple girlfriends while working for stodgy old dad (the "pater", a.k.a. the "governor"). This book was no let down from the first two excellent entries in the series. The description of the bad guys was particularly humerous -- a slick con man and his thug buddy (something between a meat cleaver and a vampire, driving a gun-metal caddy). I really enjoyed the lunch scene between McNally and those two. The peripheral characters also added a lot of charm to the story. A certain element of danger enters near the end, as Archy starts to step on too many toes, but you know our hero must survive for another story.

If you like Lawrence Block's burglar series, you will love Lawrence Sanders' McNally series!

Rating:
Summary: one word - FUN
Review: I am in the midst of reading the most entertaining mystery series around, and I can't wait to get the next McNally book. McNally, the playboy of Florida's gold coast, wines and dines multiple girlfriends while working for stodgy old dad (the "pater", a.k.a. the "governor"). This book was no let down from the first two excellent entries in the series. The description of the bad guys was particularly humerous -- a slick con man and his thug buddy (something between a meat cleaver and a vampire, driving a gun-metal caddy). I really enjoyed the lunch scene between McNally and those two. The peripheral characters also added a lot of charm to the story. A certain element of danger enters near the end, as Archy starts to step on too many toes, but you know our hero must survive for another story.

If you like Lawrence Block's burglar series, you will love Lawrence Sanders' McNally series!

Rating:
Summary: A playboy indeed.
Review: The McNally series is turning out to be something less than I expected. It is proving a let-down after having waded through the four deadly sin novels by the same author. Maybe the series will improve with age. If you still want to read, get the books in paperback. Otherwise borrow them from the local library.

One of the major merits of this series is that it is written from the perspective of the playboy himself rather than the perspective of a third person. And it also has the advantage of providing a different viewpoint on the pompus rich.

Rating:
Summary: Good Read in Oregon
Review: This is another in the series of books about Archie McNally, who carries out investigations for his father's law firm when he is not dashing about in his red Miata, hanging out at the Pelican Club, or pursuing various women. It is one of the earlier books in the series. The case starts out as a seemingly simply investigation into the background of a woman involved with the son of a wealthy client of the firm. Along the way there is a murdered artist who had painted the woman's portrait, the emotionally disturbed daughter of the artist, the son's ex-girlfriend from a topless car wash, the ex-girlfriend's nude dancer friend, a suspect "financial advisor," and a host of other character's including some of Archie's assortment of friends that carry forward from book to book. There is also the mysterious, untitled, missing painting. Overall, an intriguing whodunit, with a somewhat surprising ending.