Review: Antonio is in the house!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 30, 2013
This is the latest offering from my on-line friend, J Fields, featuring his character Antonio Cruz. I was lucky enough to get to know J through the Customer Discussions on Amazon, before finding out that he was also an author. Fortunate indeed, because otherwise I might never have discovered his wonderful books about Antonio and the staff at the Native Sun Casino.Antonio Cruz is like the James Bond of the hotelier industry. As the head butler at the Native Sun, it is his job to meet and anticipate the needs of all the guests, particularly those of the high rollers and the celebrities. One of the things that you find out early about Antonio is, although he is very aware and interested in the lives of his staff, he is a very private person when it comes to his own life. His management style is contrasted by that of Liz Fiore, the casino president's executive assistant, and Jonathon the front office manager. Liz is the "enforcer" on staff, the scary person who no one wants to piss off because she'll eat you alive without breaking a nail, a model of efficiency. Jonathon is the guy who says he rewards his employees, but is all bluster and show, not even remembering their names. I like how the author manages to give us the best and worst of the corporate environment without breaking the storyline.New on the scene is Halifax Downs, from Atlantic City. He's the new Executive Director of Gaming Operations, but seems to have an agenda all his own, one that appears focused on Antonio like a wolf trying to separate a stag from the herd. And speaking of Atlantic City, one of the scarier aspects of casino operation rears its head in the form of attention from the local mafia. During the mayhem that ensues, we get some tantalizing glimpses of Antonio's background.I love how the story and character of this series has grown, but it is evolving in a direction I didn't anticipate from the beginning. The first book, Casino Shuffle, was a fun-filled romp. In Rouge et Noir and Bad Beat, we start seeing hints of the dark side of the industry. Yes, casinos are a good time for most, but ultimately their function is to separate you from your money, sometimes with unpleasant side effects. This tale also differs in that there are a lot of loose ends, which is good and bad. Bad that there are lots of unanswered questions, but good in that the reader can rest easy knowing that there should be a sequel coming. Hopefully soon!