Against The Odds

Anna Dawson Mystery Series #1

by Mara Jacobs

My name is Anna Dawson, and I'm a professional poker player. And I'm good. Very good.

But, I also have a little bit of a problem with placing bets on a sporting events. Not so good.

Sometimes my little problem becomes a whole lot of trouble and I need to resort to some, shall we say, less than stellar actions to get out of debt. So, I become my alter ego, JoJo, and fix college basketball games. Hey, a victimless crime, no one's the wiser, and it's better than the alternative, which is a drive into the desert with my loan shark and a shovel in the trunk. Although, it has to be said, my loan shark is pretty good looking.

I love Vegas, and I love the life I've built, but when one of my friends is murdered, and another one shot at, I know I need to take a serious look at myself. And I need to call in the big guns. Even if that means teaming up with detective Jack Schiller, a man who's dealing with his own problems. But dang, he sure is sexy.

I'm just trying to juggle protecting my friends, helping sexy detective Jack while not letting him get to close, and finding a murderer. And, oh yeah, no one can learn about JoJo.

Because if they do, there's no way I'll be able to bluff my way out.

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Fiction, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller, Romantic Suspense, Amazon

230 pages, ebook

First published September 12, 2012

About the author

Mara Jacobs is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Worth series.

After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in advertising, Mara spent several years working at daily newspapers in advertising sales and production. This certainly prepared her for the world of deadlines!

She writes mysteries with romance, thrillers with romance, and romances with…well, you get it.

Forever a Yooper (someone who hails from Michigan's glorious Upper Peninsula), Mara now splits her time between the U.P. and Las Vegas.

You can find out more about Mara’s books at
www.marajacobs.com

Mara loves to hear from readers. Contact her at mara@marajacobs.com

Reviews

[Tulay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gambling and much more.

Story about four friends almost retired from gambling and sports gambling, and thirty plus Anna learned so much from them. Now she takes care of them, they are her family. Author wrote about this subject of gambling and alcoholism without preaching. Believable characters with their decades old problems. Enjoyed the story.

[Ted Tayler · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Odds on for a successful series"

There may be the odd flaw with the plot, but the writing is top drawer. I don't profess to understand the gambling terminology, but it didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying this thriller. The killer was a mystery to me until the final pages and the final twist was unexpected. What more do you need from a book, except to hold your interest to the final page?

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked reading about Johanna Dawson playing poker and watching games, though when she left for a short period near the end, I was hoping that she wouldn't go back. I found that the guys that Johanna hangs around very intriguing, and it amazed me how long a person can keep a grudge for, though I found it to be an anticlimax when I found out why the grudge was being held. Then there's the cliffhanger (and surprise) as well...

[Patricia Mccammon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received this as a free book. First time for this author. An ok book if you enjoy the gambling fever of Las Vegas, along with a mystery of who is trying to kill the old odds makers.

[Stanley McShane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Las Vegas Thrilling Saga

Fun quick read based on Las Vegas well written and impossible to put down. Anne Dawson is a master manipulator and great fun to follow. CE Williams fro Bookbub

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one caught my eye a few months back when it was offered as a freebie through BookBub. A heroine who is a professional poker player and sometimes gets herself in too deep somehow sounded appealing, and while I've not read anything else by this author, she has enough writing creds that I decided to go for it. But then, it got stuck on the back burner until now, when I remembered to look through my list of downloaded books to see what turned up. After re-reading the description and checking other reviews, I spun the wheel - and by golly, it came up a winner in my book.

The gambler, Anna Dawson (aka Johanna, Jo, JoJo or whoever she needs to be on any given day), lives in Las Vegas with a small group of elderly guys (no, nothing kinky going on here) and an older woman who takes on something of a housemother role. As Anna is taking a financial bath with her latest bet on a sporting event - her track record in this area isn't all that great - one of her friends is murdered and another narrowly misses the same fate. Somehow, she must figure out a way to avoid broken kneecaps courtesy of her loan shark as well as help a sexy detective figure out who's trying to kill off her friends without letting him in on her gambling predicament.

Of course, there's romance involved - and the detective brings his own shaky past to the bedroom to complicate things a bit. And as Anna tries to figure a way out from under her debt, an alter ego makes another appearance that could change the course of her already on-the-edge life forever.

For the record, I did find a few run-on sentences and other grammar glitches, the latter of which may be a result of the transition to the Kindle format, but for the most part they didn't stomp too hard on my journalist/copy editor sensitivities. I did find it interesting that parts of the book are set in Pittsburgh - not far from where I live. As for the whodunit and why, it came mostly as a surprise except for one important part, which I'd guessed but didn't know how it fit in till the end.

Speaking of the end, I suppose it was a foregone conclusion given that Anna moves on to another book, but it didn't make me terribly happy. That said, now I'm looking forward to Book No. 2 in this series, Against the Spread. Game on!

[mark jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected

This is not a romance in spite of the cover.
it is a murder mystery, but it felt different than a murder mystery. it is mostly a book about humans dealing with their own weaknesses and failings.
I enjoyed it very much and recommend the story to adults of all ages.

[Alisha Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/3aL0cOw.












Johanna is a professional gambler, and has done well for herself, Ben, and Lor in Vegas. Other than occasionally doing jobs for Vince to pay off a debt she has managed to stay out of trouble. That is until someone kills one of the Corporation, Jimmy. Poor Ben is beside himself, and with Gus being targeted next the police are in a race to find who is after the boys. Detective Jack is on the case and believes it is a revenge ploy. Between Anna and Jack can they solve this case before their demons get the best of them and those that remain of the corporation meet a similar fate?

I got this book on impulse from Amazon in January of 2020. I didn't know this eBook was about gambling at the time as I have a bad habit of choosing books based on their covers instead of synopsis sometimes, but I really liked this book. I can't say that I understood half of the sports information as I don't know anything at all about sports. If I did it probably would have increased my enjoyment. As it was I mostly skimmed those parts of the book to get back to the murder mystery.

When we were getting more details throughout the story I have to admit that I suspected the reason why, but I didn't suspect the who. For some reason I thought the result knew one of them was the reason and was picking the Corporation off one by one as a result. The person I thought was the result wasn't either, instead they were just a random character in the story. I am glad it is who it is, but still. I am not sure if I will read more of this series in the future just because I don't understand sports. If I do I hope that I see more of Jack in the future. He was such a sweetheart and I completely understood where he was coming from.

He wasn't my favorite character, though. That spot is reserved for Ben. Who doesn't love the adorable old man who takes the younger generation under his wing? His "Hannah" would definitely have been lost over the years without him. I hope he finds out what we found out eventually. I think he will handle it well and it will give him something that he has always wanted.

If you are looking for a murder mystery filled with revenge and vices look no further. I seen some other reviews saying there were cliff-hangers, but I don't feel that way. It would be possible for the book to end where it is at and not be left wanting. Sure all of the characters don't know everything, but the same thing often happens in real life so it could end here without issue.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the author is unfamiliar to me, I tried Against The Odds because the premise sounded interesting, as did the Las Vegas setting. I have to say that I loved this book. Mara Jacobs has created fascinating characters in Anna Dawson, her roommate Lorelei, and the group of elderly men they look out for. That the retirees have taught Anna everything they know about gambling creates a fresh take on a story about a professional gambler who enjoys what she does for a living.

I’ve read a lot of amateur sleuth mysteries, but the killer’s identity in this one had me fooled until the big reveal. The ending also came with an intriguing twist. Las Vegas is nicely described from an insider’s viewpoint, focusing on the workers and gamblers rather than the glitzy, neon touristy areas. This book is all about the things that tourists don’t see.

The novel’s most compelling aspect is the vivid portrayal of gambling addiction. The success and failures, the rush, shame, guilt, and inability or unwillingness to stop are painstakingly portrayed. It’s heartbreaking in a way and gives the book a noir feel to the dark, desperate lives of gambling addicts. Yet in this book, the gamblers aren’t always suffering. In fact, Anna leads a pretty nice life until things become dark and dangerous with one bad bet. It makes for an absolutely riveting read.

[J Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

The odds are good that you will enjoy this book!

Anna Dawson is a professional gambler. She met Ben when she was rehabbing from an encounter with her loan sharks enforcer. He introduced her to the four other octogenarian members of “The Corporation”, the premier odds makers at five of the largest Vegas casinos in their youth. Under their tutelage, Anna has honed her betting skills but her compulsion to gamble can mean feast or famine with occasional broken bones and bruises. Along with Lorelei, an aging exotic dancer, they have become her family. Now someone is killing them and Anna and Detective Jack Stiller are determined to find the killer. The storyline weaves a story about the not-so-glamorous side of gambling, addictions, and plenty of danger. The chemistry between Anna and Jack is undeniable but both have “demons” to deal with that may be stronger than their feelings. The plot could be very dark at times. The book was well written and the characters were realistic. The conclusion was fairly obvious from the clues, but I still enjoyed reading it and would like to read other books in the series.

[Russell Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting plot, complex yet unlikable main character

I really wanted to like this novel, and for the most part I did. The gambling premise seems to be a unique one. However, the main character is so flawed and unlikable that it was hard to root for her. She's obviously a gambling addict with a serious problem, and maybe that will get dealt with in future books in the series, as there were some Easter eggs at the end of the book. But Johanna does some bad things to a college kid to wrap him up in her world that I thought she was taking advantage of and she doesn't sound like a great catch and yet she ends up with some hunk of a guy, only to frustrate him with her constant lies. I'll give another book a chance, but only because Johanna is more like a car wreck that you can't stop looking at as opposed to a character you want to root for.

[Bill Hooten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, for the last week I have been trying out new authors; and I had one that failed miserably (in my opinion), and I thought that this was going to be another. I gave it a three star rating -- 2 for the first half of the book, and 4 for the second half. I loved the story about "The Corporation," and for the first half of the book that was the saving grace, the second half Anna Dawson redeemed herself in my eyes (as an interesting character). The story was good, and there were a wide array of characters that were really interesting, and the end was one that most would not see coming (including me). I liked it well enough, that I am sure that I will read some more in this series. Oh, by the way, if you ever wonder how a gambler can "fix" a college basketball game, this will give you a pretty good idea.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Johanna is a professional gambler who has got in too deep in past, with consequences to her physical health, thanks to Vince and his enforcer, Paulie. She is considered "one of the boys" by the octogenarian "Corporation" who used to set the odds at casinos. Shortly after an article appears The Corporation, one of the members is shot dead at close range. The police first suspect one of the group, then start to protect them as some of the others are targeted too.
Seeing a link with their shared gambling world, Johanna starts to investigate on her own, then teams up with Detective Jack Schiller, himself an alcoholic. Can they put their demons away for good or at least on hold to find the killer?

[Keith Vandenbergh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good characters, flawed conclusion

The characters in Against the Odds are very well developed and believable. A real issue for me was that I must not have been in the mood to follow them along their path of addiction. The story pulled me in but, at the same time, had me wishing that I didn't want to see their struggles. Maybe their failure to try to overcome them left me lacking. This may resolve itself in future installments but I won't be there to read them. The story's abrupt resolution of the plot left me thinking, "Wow, that was quick". Like the writer ran out of gas and decided to wrap it up. A fairly good read that was generally well written but nothing that I would want to pursue through a series.

[Julia Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna is a professional gambler. Recently, Anna has gone past her self imposed limits with the gambling and is in debt to a loan shark. She will not risk her savings because that is for taking care of Ben in his old age. She finds herself breaking not only her own rules but the law as well. In addition, one of The Corporation members is shot dead and a few days later, another one is wounded. Who is killing her friends and why, when they are all in their 80’s, retired and sweet old guys? Enter police officer Jack Schiller: handsome, smart and with his own issues.

This is a fun weekend read. There is a little action, a little subtle sex, and a lot of gambling. Perfect for a good diversion!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a little confusing at the beginning for my taste, mostly due to 4 names for the heroine, but then the story took hold and I found it hard to put down. It was well written, good action, nicely developed characters who have solid friendships.

Johanna is a professional gambler who met the members of The Corporation, bookies & friends from decades earlier, thru being in physical therapy at the same time as Ben. Ben is a member of The Corporation. The Corporation has an article written about them in Sports Illustrated. The Corporation reads and reminisces about the article in the morning; that night a member is murdered....

The pace of the writing really held my attention and kept me guessing. Good book.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book despite the cover (not one I'd usually choose) and I made the correct choice. The book is nothing like the cover, or even the blurb on Goodreads, which make it sound like it's a "romance." This is a good whodunnit through and through, in a setting I love (Las Vegas) with a bunch of really interesting characters. And Anna, the protagonist, is a really great person with a big flaw or two. In other words, REAL. I liked the plot, setting, and characters, and will read more in the series since this looks like the first one.

[Adam Windsor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anna Dawson is a professional poker player who repeatedly tells us she is really good at what she does, but she loses literally ever poker match she participates in during the course of the novel. This is not the smartest of authorial choices, since (especially in light of Anna's other gambling related issues) it makes her seem pretty clueless and incompetent at what is supposed to be her core skill. Fortunately, she proves marginally better at solving murders.

Readable, but the disconnect between the narrator's claims and her actual lived experience irritated me quite a bit.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna Dawson is a gambler who teams up with Detective Jack Schiller. Anna is a younger, wanna-be gambler often getting herself in over her head with debt and having to find ways to repay loan sharks. She connects with a group of elderly odds makers whom she winds up caring for and helping to protect after one of their group is shot and killed. Thus ensues the mystery of who and why…

Free kindle read turned out to be pretty good. Little far fetched in numerous places, but the story kept pulling me along!

[Antigone Walsh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unless you are interested in gambling this book is a bore. The writing is fine and it is populated with the usual quirky characters. Anna is likable enough for an amoral character who has no intention of changing. she seems addicted to trouble as lmuch as the rush of betting. A troubled detective (whatever kind?) is her love interest. the plastic, treacherous side of Vegas is well portrayed but like too many late nights at Taco Bell it gets tired fast. Not a book I'd bet on.

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Johanna “Anna” Dawson is a professional gambler living in Las Vegas who lives platonically with a group of elderly men one of them named Ben who is her gambling mentor. One of Anna’s friends Jimmy is murdered and Detective Jack Schiller is on the case. Anna tries to get out of debt while trying to stay clear of loan sharks. Jack and Anna are romantically involved while Jack is dealing with his own troubles. I really enjoyed this women’s thriller novel.

[Georgia Tumbleweed McNabb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story

I bought this book on a whim, looking for something different and quirky. Boy am I glad I did, really enjoyed this book/ story. Well written and thought out and a good ending where many pieces of the puzzle come together. Will definitely look I to reading more by this author in the future!

[Blair H. Prigg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Read!

I had my doubts about this book,but I continued reading anyway. After reaching the middle of the book, I was convinced that the whole book should be read. The ending was unbelievable and certainly came as a surprise. It also made me wonder what would happen in the next book.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept Me Entertained

I enjoyed this book. Definitely kept me entertained. The first chapter was a little boring almost made me put this book down but I kept reading. I'm glad I did. This is not a by the book police procedural suspense story. You know while reading, you are reading for storyline and entertainment. It's more romantic suspense.

[C.A. Knutsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tough life

Anna Dawson's life as a gambler has its ups and downs. The highs might be higher than those in a more normal life, but the lows could be very very dangerous. The author gave us insight to the life of a gambler, and she had her character stay true to form throughout the book-- gambling was all, everything else was in second place.

[Hw Huyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, some heart rendering parts

Jack Schiller, a Las Vegas, detective meets Johanna. First meeting was as they were separately nearing a AA, GA, DA anonymous meeting room for alcoholics, gamblers, etc. They go on their separate ways only to meet later withJohanna mixed in various semi-illegal gambling events.

[Denise M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story

This the 1st time reading a book by the author Mara Jacobs.
”Against The Odds” is a fast moving novel about Anna Dawson, her friends + Jack Schiller, a Detective.
It takes in a little gambling, some romance + a few murders.
Great story + looking forward to the next book to clear up a few things.

[Kay Parkyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult if you don't understand the jargon

I enjoyed the storyline,some good twists and plot But and here's the rub, I know nothing about betting, nothing about poker, nothing about games like basketball etc.
I found it frustrating ! Not sure I'd read the next book in this series.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

.

Interesting book, different subject than I am used to reading. Gambling isn't something I do other than an occasional slot machine $5 bet. However I like mysteries and this had murder, love, violence and emotions so that covered my usual reading material. The author wrapped it all up and explained who and why the murder and attempted murders occurred.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna is a professional gambler in Las Vegas. Her closest friends are five 70 year olds. One of the friends is murdered.

Anna does her best to determine the who and the why as well as co-operating with her bookie to "repay" the money that she borrowed from him.

The plot has a variety of threads and they weave well together.