Loaded Dice

Tony Valentine #4

by James Swain

When Tony Valentine, a master at catching casino cheaters, jets to Las Vegas to look for his missing son, he lands in the middle of a dangerous turf war between rival casinos. Valentine’s longtime pal then taps him to figure out how an amateur won $25,000 at his blackjack tables. But the job is full of land mines. For starters, the suspect bears a strong resemblance to his late wife. Upping the ante, a dead stripper is found with Valentine’s calling card–and her grief-stricken policeman boyfriend is vowing revenge.

Yet in a city where barracudas wear pinstripes, and reality and illusion shift depending on the neon light, a greater threat maneuvers through the an all-new breed of criminal with an agenda propelled by fury that will shake not only Valentine, but the city of Las Vegas itself.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Audiobook

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

James Swain is the national best selling author of seventeen mystery novels, and has been published in twelve different languages. His books have been chosen as Mysteries of the Year by Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, and have received three Barry Award nominations, a Florida Book Award for Fiction, and France’s prestigious Prix Calibre .38 for Best American Crime Fiction. Born in Huntington, New York, he graduated from New York University and worked as a magazine editor before moving to Florida to run a successful advertising firm. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys researching casino scams and cons, a subject on which he’s considered an expert.

Reviews

[James Thane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readers who follow this series will certainly not be surprised to learn that Tony Valentine's son, Gerry is in big trouble. Again. Time after time, Tony has bailed Gerry out of dangerous situations; time after time, Gerry has promised to reform, and time after time, his promise is very short-lived.

Gerry is now married to a beautiful woman, much better than he deserves, and they are expecting their first child. If anything is going to cause Gerry to straighten out and fly right, you'd think this would be it, and he now agrees to take a job working for his father.

For those who haven't read this series yet, Tony Valentine is an ex-New Jersey detective and gambling expert. He retired from the police force and created a consulting business called Grift Sense. Working from his base in Florida, Tony advises casinos how to avoid getting ripped off and he specializes in catching cheaters who are attempting to defraud casinos.

So that Gerry may be better able to work in the business, Tony sends him to an underground card-counting school in Vegas. The idea, of course, is that this will enable Gerry to be better able to spot card counters. But Gerry being Gerry, it takes all of about ten minutes before he surrenders to the Dark Side, becomes involved in a scheme to rip off casinos and drops out of sight.

Gerry's wife, Yolanda, is about to give birth and of course is very worried, especially when people begin calling the house demanding that Gerry pay the money he allegedly owes them and when Yolanda finds a bag of unpaid bills hidden under the bed. Naturally she appeals to Tony who is also worried, even more so when he discovers that Gerry has charged a gun to Tony's AmEx card.

Tony heads out to Vegas, ostensibly to advise some casino owners about a new high-tech device designed to make it easy to rip off blackjack tables, but really to find Gerry and get him back on the straight and narrow. Once there, he discovers that his old friend Nick Nicocropolis is also in trouble. Nick owns an aging resort and casino and a couple of competitors are trying to run him out of business so that they can buy his casino on the cheap and bulldoze it. To this end, they've hired a gang of cheaters to bankrupt him. Nick appeals to Tony for help and, as long as Tony is in town, of course he'll do what he can.

In the meantime, Gerry is refusing to answer his phone and it quickly becomes clear that he's fallen in with some very bad and dangerous people. Not only his freedom but his very life may be in danger, and even his father may not be able to rescue him this time.

Like the first three entries in this series, this is a breezy and very entertaining novel. The characters and the dialog are great and, as always, it's a lot of fun watching Tony uncover and explain the various ways that people attempt to cheat at gambling. I'm giving the book three stars rather than four because at the end the plot veers off in a way that seems not only implausible but totally inappropriate for a book in this series. This book was first published shortly after 9/11 and it turns out that Gerry has unwittingly fallen in with a couple of al Qadea terrorists. Tony must now not only rescue Gerry but attempt to foil a plot that would kill thousands of people. It's not at all a believable development and it's way too serious a turn of events for a novel that's otherwise on the lighter side.. Overall, though, the book is a lot of fun and fans of Tony Valentine will certainly want to find it. Other potential readers who might be curious about the series would be better off looking for Grift Sense, the book that introduces Tony Valentine.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable entry in this series, but falls shy of its predecessors. Tony Valentine continues to be an engaging character, especially since he’s been allowed to age and is dealing with being 63 and alone (lost his wife and misses her and the sense of being loved).

He continues to do his thing— helping casinos discover how cheaters are scamming them. His neighbor and now full-time office manager, Mable, is a neat character and contributes to the breezy feel of the story.

So why 3 stars and not more? Two reasons. One, Tony’s son, Gerry, is the worst screw up ever seen and why Tony won’t apply some tough love is beyond me. It just feels wrong. And two, the climax of this story has nothing to do with casinos, gambling, etc. It leaves the main strength of every Tony Valentine story by the wayside and just fails to be credible.

So, while I remain a fan, this was just a little less rewarding than some of the earlier novels. Good enough, but I want more.

[Johnny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loaded Dice is my latest encounter with the work of James Swain. Not being a gambler, I wouldn’t have picked up these entertaining mysteries from the titles or cover illustrations. My copies of these books were given to me and I’m glad they were. I still haven’t figured out what it is I like about them. Is it the obvious humor? Is it the simple revelations of complicated scams used to cheat casinos? (Maybe I’m just enjoying having my skepticism toward the gaming industry confirmed?) Is it the rich cast of characters? Am I intrigued by the vaudeville team of Mr. Hicks and Mr. Beauregard (the latter being a chimpanzee with the ability to plunk out any tune he’s ever heard on the ukulele), the ever loyal Mabel (every detective needs an office manager who is more efficient than he or she is), the black sheep son named Gerry (one of the definitive points of realism in this series is the relationship between the father and the son who has messed up his life), the bigger-than-life casino owner clients, or the vast network of informants the detective has assembled within his specialization? I don’t know. Am I intrigued by the protagonist’s seeming inability to genuinely fall in love? After all, I spent a goodly portion of my life thinking all marriages were lies and that my chance to ever fall in love was hopeless. Am I impressed by the underlying hope for redemption that runs through the books even though the client and suspect list is replete with the most hopeless of addicts, backstabbers, and criminals? That probably has something to do with it. I have seen some miraculous turnarounds in human lives, even though I know the odds are even higher against such successes than toward consistently beating a competent casino.

With that understood, I find it difficult to write about Loaded Dice without risking becoming the leak for quite a few spoilers. However, I’m going to try to do so because I dislike reading reviews with spoilers. In Loaded Dice, protagonist Tony Valentine goes to Las Vegas to demonstrate an elaborate electronic cheating device from Japan—designed to foil the RF detectors routinely used in the casinos and more elaborate than anything else used to date. Yet, Tony doesn’t realize that circumstantial evidence connecting him to a murder and possibly, an international money-laundering ring, has preceded him. The result of this circumstantial connection leads the reader to expect one connection with the main plot thread of the book, but turns out to set up yet another connection. There is a parallel story outside the story arc of which Valentine never himself becomes aware. Yet, it is resolved in a solid manner without leaving the loose end dangling. There is, of course, an internal thread to the story line that, as an experienced mystery reader would figure out from the moment this circumstantial evidence was introduced actually supports the reason for certain crimes investigated in the course of the book.

Complicate this main storyline with Valentine’s determination to check up on his son Gerry (who appears to have screwed things up once again) and his involvement with a potential love interest attempting to commit suicide and you have a savory mix of mystery and emotion. With so much happening, there were times when I felt like scenes or ideas were injected into the book just to pad it out a little. Then, the pace would pick up or a thread would be tied into another thread and I would be hooked once more. Sure, there are totally improbable scenes with events that seem a little too convenient, but if you let your disbelief be sufficiently suspended, this is a terrific story. I promise never to judge this series by title or cover again.

[Kara Jorges · Rating 3 out of 5]

Retired cop turned casino consultant Tony Valentine is back in Vegas on a job, and searching for his screw-up son Gerry, when he spies a woman bearing a strong resemblance to his deceased wife getting ready to jump off her balcony. Tony races away from a meeting with three high-buck casino bosses and to the aid of Lucy Price, who’s feeling suicidal after her $25,000 winnings are stolen. Of course, this is all just part of a bigger scam happening at the Acropolis Casino next door, an old-style Vegas joint complete with statues of its owner’s ex-wives out front. Nick Nicocropolis and Valentine go back, so Valentine readily agrees to help catch the scammers, who are led once again by the legendary Frank Fontaine, who Valentine has tangled with before.

Much more is at stake, however, when Gerry Valentine teams up with a couple guys from card counting school who are up to no good. Ripping off casinos is only a part of the evil schemes his new companions are up to, and soon Gerry is in so deep he has no one but the old man to turn to. While not as much fun as Swain’s last effort, and relying a bit heavily on a cast of warmed-over characters from his first novel, this is nonetheless another entertaining tale in the Tony Valentine saga. We get a few more peeks into the characters, but I could have used a tad more, since Valentine’s last novel was so good.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated this book 4 1/2 stars. Still enjoying the Tony Valentine series.

[Don Gorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3). I believe this totally catches me up on the Tony Valentine series. What good fun. Tony is the consummate protagonist. Very smart, a tough streak and totally likable. The gambling and cheating insights are still here, but not in quite the abundance as in some of the other entries in this franchise. There is more than usual about the goings on with Tony’s son, Gerry, and his particular set of problems. It all works. A very entertaining and easy read. Good stuff.

[Tim · Rating 1 out of 5]

Turns out that I don't like the main character and his spoiled brat juvenile acting son. Too bad Swain doesn't write more stories like "Deadman's Poker and Night Monster," easily his best I've read. 2 of 10 stars

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another case for Tony Valentine, set in Vegas. Lot's of interesting characters along the way. Not high brow fiction, but enjoyable.

[james · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is series featuring Tony Valentine, a consultant to the Gaming industry. He uncovers various scams by those wishing to make big scores against casinos. It's an easy, fun read.

[CJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I like casino gambling I think I'll like these mysteries with the recurring character of an ex-policeman who helps casinos identify cheaters.

[Margarette Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it...this is another author i will be adding to my reading list.

[Risa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Entertaining

[Sharon Ouderkirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Swain is an expert on casino scams and I enjoyed reading about the various ways people can rip off the casinos. His hero, Tony Valentine is an engaging character - a retired cop with a conscience. I'm not sure how righteous his cause is - to help the cheating casinos stop people from cheating them - but if you ignore the ironies, you can cheer Valentine on with gusto. He's a good man in Las Vegas, which is another way of saying he's one of a kind.
I remember thoroughly enjoying Grift Sense when I read it a few years ago, but I did not enjoy Loaded Dice as much - nothing to do with Swain, who is a talented writer who knows how to drive a plot forward. It was more to do with Las Vegas, and the odour of desperation with many of the characters. If Vegas had existed when Dante was writing Inferno, Dante would not have had to come up with his own nine circles. Every sin is present and accounted for, and I found the atmosphere pretty depressing. Vegas has got to be the nadir of American Capitalism, and as Swain points out, women are treated like garbage as a matter of course. It boggles my mind that it ever got sold as glamorous or exciting. But if you can handle Vegas, I recommend Swain.

[Frank Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another chain of explained casino scams woven into not much of a story. I'll finish the series, but I was put off by some of the Black Jack anecdotes. Sorry, Mr Swain but knowing all of the cards still doesn't make it likely to win all seven hands time after time. I think it's fair to say that you'd only win every hand if the dealer busted and he's not always going to be dealt a hand that has that possibility. Also, while back in the day of single deck games when counters could make huge fluctuations in their bets, counters did make big money, it takes more than a Hi-Low count to win big in a multi-deck game. I played that system back in the 80's when putting in enough hours at the $25 table would get you a free room and meals. Sometimes I won a little, and I never lost more than what I would have had to pay had I not been comped, but winning big money every day was just not guaranteed.

[Anirudh Jain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tony veneers to the strip to find his deadbeat son, Gerry but in the usual Tony style gets involved with a whole lot of trouble. From 2 rival casinos, high tech devices to cheat to a whole gang of card counters, Tony must fight them all and save the day.

This is the 3rd book in the series and is probably the most convoluted book so far. There are too many plot holes at any point in time and none of them connect smoothly like the other novels. The characters and the dialouge are on point as usual. The ending was a little far fetched and crazy hence that ruined the book for me, if it was simple and stuck to their roots this would have been the perfect novel

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tony Valentine, a master at catching casino cheaters, jets to Las Vegas to look for his missing son, he lands in the middle of a dangerous turf war between rival casinos. Valentine’s longtime pal then taps him to figure out how an amateur won $25,000 at his blackjack tables. But the job is full of land mines. For starters, the suspect bears a strong resemblance to his late wife. Upping the ante, a dead stripper is found with Valentine’s calling card–and her grief-stricken policeman boyfriend is vowing revenge.

[Ranjanks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the main character but i don't know like how FBI and cops are shown to be so incompetent or corrupt. Loved all the scams writes unveils but did not like how protagonist was able to shoot so accurately from a gun he has never shot before and was not in a proper position.

[Jerry Hooten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story

I thought I'd read all the Tony Valentine stories, so this was a great find. Nobody knows Las Vegas like Jim Swain.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY GOOD READ.

[Lauren Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read, lots of action, different plot lines from what I’m used to

[Mike]

Feb 2008 #4 of 6

[Jeffrey Granat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good installment of Tony Valentine. This series is incredible and I hope that he comes out with more.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Swain continues to deliver solid action/thrillers with a great deal of insight into gambling cheats, etc.

I am a bit tired of Tony having to find ways to rescue his son, Gerry, from bad guys. This time, the FBI is all over Tony and Gerry because of a connection with a gambling cheat.

Valentine is a good hero. I like the fact that this older man is so tough when he has to be. I also like the way the author takes the time to reveal things that only magicians and card cheats seem to know.

It is so funny when someone calls Valentine's secretary and she diagnosis over the phone exactly how a group of cheaters are operating.

These are not really mystery novels, though they usually have a minor element of mystery. Instead, Swain strings a story through a number of revelations about cheaters and scams. The mystery takes second place to the incidents described in the story.

There are enough off-beat characters to fill a Carl Hiassan novel. One example would be Nick, the owner of the Acropolis, who has nude statues of his ex-wives scattered about the casino as decorations.

[Kellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Valentine is in Vegas. So is his son. Tony is trying to find him. He sent him to cheating school and hasn’t heard from the boy. Meanwhile, 3 big casino owners are ripping Nick (an acquaintance of Tony’s) off. Tony fills him in but it’s too late. Nick has to close. Meanwhile, Gerry is into some deep shit. He is with 2 Pakistani’s who are in his class. What he doesn’t know is Amin, one of the brothers, is a terrorist. The FBI is trailing them. Tony is in the dark until the very end of the book. Amin is going to bomb Vegas but he veers the FBI off the path and makes them think he is headed for Vegas. Gerry is in the trunk of the car that is the bomb. Tony finds them and shoots Amin. Car blows up and Tony thinks Gerry is in there. Only he isn’t. Pash, the other brother, saved his life by taking him out of the trunk before they left. I love the characters in these books and I love all the stuff on gambling. It is so interesting. I need to remember how much I love these books.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are Swain's Tony Valentine books detective stories or cliffhanger
thrillers? Probably a bit of both, although after this latest caper, Valentine will have a bit of difficulty walking around incognito in Las Vegas.

Valentine is a retired Atlantic City detective with a nose for scoping out cheaters and card sharks. With his wife Lois having passed on, Valentine is the primo consultant for casinos who think they are being cheated but can't figure out the scams. When he's not consulting,
Valentine is busy bailing worthless son Gerry out if trouble.

This story brings together a number of characters from the previous three books including Mabel, the nosy next door neighbor, Nick, the womanizing crude casino owner, and more. But what really makes this story so hard to put down is the nonstop action culminating in the big
showdown at the end

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book jacket says that the author, John Swain, is a noted expert on casino cheating. Accordingly, the plot revolves around card counting in Las Vegas with descriptions of security techniques to thwart would- be cheats. An interesting and fast little read.

[Pam]

01/04/08 rec via bookmooch

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, easy read in which Tony Valentine has to save Nick Nicropolus again, after his long-time nemisis is paroled by the FBI.

[Hrn1947 · Rating 2 out of 5]

just about done with this series. still some interesting gambling insights.

[Kyle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please James Swain, hire a ghost writer. Or just sell your plot ideas to a better wordsmith.