Review: Tony and Jim Swain HIT THE JACKPOT with
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 16, 2011
this newest installment (#9) in the series. Available ONLY as an e-book, the latest story finds Tony flying off to Las Vegas, the city he has vowed NEVER to set foot in again. The case involves both Tony and his son, Gerry, who is working with him full time in Grift Sense, his gambling investigation business. Tony Valentine has Grift Sense, the ability to know something is 'wrong' or 'off' in a gambling situation and figure it out. He has made a career out of this gift. Gerry, his son, was on the opposite side of the law--a Grifter--but has recently turned over a new leaf, for the most part. This is due to his marriage and birth of first child in combination with his father's influence and growing up. Gerry is the first to spot a scam at Tampa Bay Downs, the racetrack here in Oldsmar, Florida, just outside of Tampa. While Tony is there to solve an issue with the poker gaming tables, Gerry figures out that a silking scam is underway at the track. This is where Gerry saves the day, much to his proud papa's delight. Of course, one has to wonder if Gerry REALLY has changed his ways for good, this time. (READ the book to find out).Jackpot (Tony Valentine series). From Florida, the story moves to Las Vegas, where Tony and Gerry go, at the Governor's request (there is history & some bad blood there), to solve a case of casino theft. This is no small scale rip-off, though, it involves a member of the Nevada Gaming Commission! An informant is in custody Bronco Marchese. Marchese is the last remaining member of the gang of grifters from Tony's cop days in Atlantic City. Marchese murdered Tony's brother-in-law, Sal; so now it's PERSONAL.Run ins with pit bulls, old flames (Lucy resurfaces) and Native Americans who run the Tampa casino (Mabel's account). Typical Swain/Tony Valentine the action is NON STOP. Lots of twists and turns, several layers of plots and different story lines for practically each character! This is one of the best Tony Valentine stories yet! WELL DONE, JIM SWAIN!True to form, the novel is also packed with factual information: how slot machines, casinos and scams work. We learn about 'Claimers', 'silking' and several other scams/rip-offs.Even the story line of a Nevada Gaming Control Board Electronic Surveillance Division Employee stealing hundreds of slot machine jackpots from the casinos is based on fact--it happened in 1998!READ this book and get your Tony Valentine fix on. Even if you haven't read any previous Valentine novels, it is a good read. Once you read it, you will definitely want to go back and read them all, starting with Grift Sense. Swain also released a pre-quel e-book at the same time as Jackpot. Entitled "WILD CARD"Wild Card (Tony Valentine Series)it takes the reader back to Tony Valentine's last days as a cop in Atlantic City and the start of his Grift Sense agency. Both books are inexpensive and GREAT reads! I highly recommend Jackpot (& Wild Card), DOWNLOAD IT NOW--you will NOT be disappointed and will find out why Tony Valentine (& Jim Swain) have such a loyal following!One great line I loved, being a Floridian: "Up North, the leaves changed in Autumn; in Florida, it was the color of the license plates."