Mr. Lucky, James Swain
Mr. Lucky, James Swain
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Mr. Lucky
A Novel of High Stakes

Author: James Swain

Narrator: Tony Roberts

Abridged: 4 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/01/2005


Synopsis

Tony Valentine made his living and his name as a cop in Atlantic City–and is now known worldwide for his ability to spot the kinds of scams, grifts, and rip-offs that cost casinos billions every year. A man with a biting wit who drives a ’92 Honda, Tony is low-profile, old-school, and has seen it all–until he meets the luckiest man on earth.

Ricky Smith was once a small-town loser. Then he went to Las Vegas, jumped out the window of a burning hotel, lived to tell the tale, and tore up the Strip on an incredible winning streak. Ricky didn’t just win at one slot machine or table game. He won at blackjack, roulette, and craps, and then beat the pants off the world’s greatest poker player. Tony knows that goofy, loudmouthed Ricky Smith–or anyone else, for that matter–couldn’t possibly be that fortunate. But when “Mr. Lucky” returns home to the little town of Slippery Rock, North Carolina, he keeps on winning everything from a horse race to a $50,000 lottery.

Hired by a desperate casino, Tony starts to pry into Ricky’s past, his friends, and the strange little town that is benefiting from Ricky’s fame and fortune. Unfortunately for Tony, his cover is blown when he is forced to reveal a trick he has up his own sleeve: a pocket Glock he can shoot with laser-like precision. Suddenly, two men are dead, the cops are on Tony’s tail, and the investigation explodes in violence–putting the lives of Tony’s son and his young family in danger.

For years, Tony’s son Gerry has dueled with his own criminal impulses. Now, the Ricky Smith case has lured Gerry through the gates of temptation and into a murderous confrontation with the Dixie Mafia. With Tony stuck on the slippery slope of Slippery Rock and Gerry fighting for his life, the Valentines are finding out just how bad good luck can get.

Against a neon-tinted backdrop of adrenaline rushes, hard crashes, big money, and high-wire tension, the inimitable James Swain has set his best Tony Valentine novel yet: a funny, furious ride with an astounding array of crooks, marks, and one killer scam.

About The Author

JAMES SWAIN is the bestselling author of Grift Sense, Funny Money, Sucker Bet, and Loaded Dice, and is considered an authority on crooked gambling and casino scams. He lives in Odessa, Florida, with his wife, Laura, where he is currently at work on his sixth Tony Valentine novel. Visit the author’s website at www.jimswain.com


Reviews

Goodreads review by James on March 14, 2016

This is the fifth novel in James Swain's series featuring Tony Valentine, and it's among the best in the series. Valentine is an ex-cop who now works as a consultant for casinos around the world, helping them to catch cheats. Usually this involves nothing more than Tony sitting in his recliner at hi......more

Goodreads review by David on September 08, 2018

Tony Valentine's adventures continue to prove delightful. The author does a fantastic job of weaving in gambling cheats and con games that never fail to add strength to an already great story. This time around, the story revolves around a small time guy who suddenly strikes it rich in Las Vegas-- an......more

Goodreads review by Alex on November 17, 2013

MR. LUCKY, (Pub. 2005) by James Swain was my third read of this author's works, and I am still loving this guy. I'm buzzing through the books my library has, and will then be plunking down my hard-earned cash for his new books as they come out. He's catapulted his way onto my top five favorite autho......more

Goodreads review by Kellie on March 20, 2020

The last time I finished a Tony Valentine book, I remember thinking...this is a good series, you need to read the next one. It’s been a long time. I really enjoyed this book. It’s funny, Tony travels to Slippery Rock, NC which doesn’t exist. But I think it would be somewhere around Hendersonville. S......more

Goodreads review by Ted on February 20, 2015

The Tony Valentine series is great fun, due mainly to Swain's knowledge of casino security and cheating. Where Mr. Lucky and the series fall short are in the believability of the central conflicts -- the crimes that drive the plots. The protagonist's son Gerry, for example, is a bumbling loser tryin......more


Quotes

PRAISE FOR JAMES SWAIN

Mr. Lucky

Mr. Lucky hits the jackpot. Impossible to put down.”
-Michael Connelly

Loaded Dice

“A sure bet . . . an involving plot that moves faster than a pair of dice and with a bigger payout than a game of blackjack.”
–Sun-Sentinel

“Swain builds tension through a series of beautifully calibrated lessons in fleecing casinos and hints of something bigger. . . . This smooth, funny series has got to be one of the finds of the decade.”
–Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Sucker Bet

“Ingenious entertainment.”
–The New York Times Book Review

“Impossible to put down . . . endless fun . . . Sucker Bet is its own best payout.”
–St. Petersburg Times

“An avalanche of breathless action.”
–Los Angeles Times