McNally's Secret

Archy McNally #1

by Lawrence Sanders

Sex, lies, blackmail. Archy McNally is a freewheeling playboy who specializes in "Discreet Inquiries" for the rich and not-so-discreet. Beneath the glaring sun of Palm Beach - and behind the lowest crimes of high society - he is paid to keep family skeletons in the closet. But when it comes to sex and scandal, he has a few secrets of his own.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Humor, Crime, Detective, Thriller, Mystery Thriller

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Lawrence Sanders was the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty mystery and suspense novels. The Anderson Tapes, completed when he was fifty years old, received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for best first novel. His prodigious oeuvre encompasses the Edward X. Delaney, Archy McNally, and Timothy Cone series, along with his acclaimed Commandment books. Stand-alone novels include Sullivan's Sting and Caper. Sanders remains one of America’s most popular novelists, with more than fifty million copies of his books in print. Also published as Mark Upton.

Reviews

[Zain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It!

A nice, smooth mystery, with a touch of out-dated charm, McNally’s Secret is a good mystery.

I don’t know much about the eighties, but I get a feeling that this is the period during which the book was written.

Anyway, playboy, Archie McNally, is hired to find some ancient stamps stolen from a rich matron. Although, part of his job is to keep his business secret, nothing stays secret in Palm Beach.

Five fabulous stars! ✨✨✨✨✨

[Robin Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sanders' character Archie McNally is nothing short of brilliant. He's an affluent living, intelligent, capable underachiever - and he's fine with that. He didn't make it through law school to make his stuffy old law firm dad happy, but he manages to solve some tricky problems that Dad's clients seem to get themselves into regularly. He can't afford luxurious digs - so he lives with Mom and Dad - how else would a guy with his resources be able to live right on the water and have servants at his disposal. He has a fabulous and devoted steady girl - to whom he has made promises and he's devoted to a mom with the early stages of dementia who comes across as a fading character from times long past - except when her assessment of her devoted but priggish husband make it clear that she is sharper than most.

His sleuthing efforts combine a mix of street smarts, savoir fair, charm and charisma and bullshit. When mixed together his skills serve to embarrass his father - but save him as well. McNally is always fun, entertaining and engaging - right down to his pastel dinner jackets.

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's go back about a quarter of a century to THAT Palm Beach, Florida -- The one that Donald Trump was so anxious to be accepted into. Then, there was still a lot of the old money around and the need to fit in to a society that those recently rich could only aspire to. This is where McNally & Son have chosen to serve their clientele. Father McNally is head of a local law firm and the son, Archy, a Yale failure, is responsible for the firm's discreet inquiries.

Educated at the proper Ivy League schools, the McNally family fits in as the well-to-do vassals of the Palm Beach nobility. Sanders successfully walks a very fine line between insipid details (of food, clothing, wine, cars, etc.) and outright burlesque. What we derive are laughs, knowing smiles, a intricate plot with memorable characters and (surprisingly) empathy for Archy despite the following:
He is vain; often, superficial; a social butterfly; a cad; a devotee of the pursuit of the opposite sex; and, less than truthful in many of his relationships.

Kudos to Sanders for making it work. Is he tipping his hat to the Archy Goodwin of Rex Stout? This Archy is more in line with Hammett's Sam Spade in adopting a persona that allows him to float through many levels of society while, because of his fatuousness, not being given credit for the depth of understanding he brings to his detection.

Highly enjoyable, the trick will be for Sanders to go forward, exploring the permutations of this little world without it becoming a stale formula.

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing special, excepting a very strong resemblance to San Antonio's series.
The plot almost does not exist, the characters are linear and there are some questions of logic too. One of them: what expert is so stupid in order to buy false stamps? Three stars, for the partially happy final, but with a huge dose of benevolence...

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meet Archy McNally, a dandy-dressing, convertible-driving carefree playboy who unapologetically sponges off his father's Palm Beach law practice as a sort-of errand boy making "Discrete Inquiries" for the firm's clients, which in this case involves some extremely rare "Inverted Jenny" stamps stolen from a rich widow. The book is an easy read but an amusing one, with some memorable characters and a plot that mostly makes sense but will be quickly forgotten, almost like a "cozy" mystery but without any cats or recipes.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Archie McNally is a 37 year old, single guy that lives in the attic of his parents' house. He does investigation work for his lawyer-father. In the first of this series, he is investigating the disappearance of some very valuable stamps for one of his father's very wealthy clients.

I loved the smart, irreverent humor, the surprise ending and Archie's respectful and loving relationship with his parents. I will definitely be reading more about Archie and family.

[Julie Fruchtman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find that all of the McNally books are perfect "palette cleansers".
Any time that I finish heavy reading, I pick up one of the McNally mysteries and they never fail to amuse and ground me.

[Donna Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it!
Due to my mother’s odd sense of order, I started this series with Book 3. That’s ok. I fell head-over-heels in love with Archy McNally and his unique way of expressing himself.
So, I went back to the beginning. I really enjoyed this book. It was slightly easier to put down than the third book was, so four stars.
Still, the fun was so great! Archy has a unique approach to solving mysteries. He collects information and details without attempting to draw any conclusions. He writes them in his journal each night. This practice continues for some time. Then, Archy reviews his journal entries over a glass of marc (one of many delightful tidbits I had to Google).
I’m eager for Book 2! And a glass of marc!

[Brian Fagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Lawrence Sanders, and I'll be back. In the few days I was reading it, I twice had women notice the book and make comments about their love for his work. To summarize my reaction before going into details, I'll call Sanders an Elmore Leonard-lite. Not "lite" in talent but "lite" in flavor. The action and the humor isn't as dark as Leonard's, if this first novel in the Archy McNally series is a good indicator.

McNally's Secret was published in 1992, well into Sanders' writing career. Archy is 36 and works in his father's Miami firm, doing investigative work. Sanders lived in South Florida for part of his life, and the novel features continuous loving references to the Miami area. Archy makes up the entirety of the "Discreet Inquiries" department. His father is an attorney, and the company also does estate planning, patents and divorce work.

Lady Cynthia Horowitz, a wealthy and bitchy septuagenarian, who was a famous beauty, comes to Archy's father Prescott with a complaint of a missing valuable block of four rare postage stamps, valued at up to one million dollars. At the time they went missing from her unlocked home safe, Lady Cynthia had six houseguests, primarily family, and five employees. A break-in does not seem to have occurred, especially as nearby expensive jewelry was left undisturbed. So Archy is on duty with eleven primary suspects to evaluate, and Lady Cynthia determined that the police not be involved and that no publicity by generated.

I wouldn't call Sanders' writing elegant or extraordinary, but he is one of those writers who make good writing look effortless, when it is far from that. I enjoy novels like McNally's Secret in which everything rings true, with no false notes to jar the flow of reading.

[Maureen DeLuca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh! I read this book sooo many years ago- and while I was waiting for books to come in , I saw that I could read this one (again) I absolutely LOVE Archy !! While I was reading this book a few things came back to me - The details of his breakfast , lunch and dinners! OMG- I was getting hungry just re-reading this !! Such a fun, fun , fun book !! --- Brings back memories - needing a dime for a pay phone, for example.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Open Road Media and Netgalley. This is a re-issue of the first McNally mystery by Lawrence Sanders in digital format.
I have read Lawrence Sanders before, but never the McNally series.
Archy McNally, womanizer, detective in his father's law firm, and still living at home, lives the good life in Palm Beach, Florida.
When his father assigns him the job of finding out who stole a set of collectable stamps from the infamous Lady Horiwitz, McNally uncovers a clever scheme. In the meantime, Archy has met a woman that has him thinking along the lines of a long term relationship.
The dialogue is witty and funny, the insight into life in Palm Beach is hilarious, but the plot was a little thin. Too much time was spent following Archy around while he moons over his new girlfriend and not enough time spent on the mystery. There were some real shockers in the plot, but they came a bit too late in the story.
I'm still on board for more in the McNally series. Hopefully, the characters develop a bit more as time goes on.
Overall a C+

[Greer Andjanetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 'Archie McNally' stories by Lawrence Sanders are all essentially the same, small mysteries, sometimes murders, taking place in Palm Beach, Florida. Each book features descriptions of AM's food, clothing, girlfriends and lifestyle and while repetitive after two or more books, all stories make good, light, entertaining reading. The plots are virtually indistinguishable but Sanders' excellent writing style, above-average vocabulary and non-reliance on profanity and foul language to give his characters colour makes any one of these books a read to enjoy.

The above review/description also applies to two other books read in the same month, 'McNally's Gamble' and 'McNally's Luck'.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery and the story were fine.

But I was completely distracted by the fact that while it was set in 1990's Florida, everyone spoke as if they lived in the 1930's. Referring to a woman as a "cupcake" and a man as "lad". Discussion of old maids or spinsters. A reference to Gibson Girls. The formal dialogue between father and adult son.

I kept being convinced it was set in the 30s after all, and then I'd remember the references to the Mazda Miata or a cellular phone.

Oh well. It was an entertaining enough story, but the incongruous dialogue continually annoyed me.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first encountered Sanders' work back in '80 or '81, reading "The Sixth Commandment", and I was captured. The word pictures he paints are glorious.

This is the first in the series of Archy, a semi-disreputable scion of a well-to-do lawyerly enterprise. His father is the lawyer, and the son occupies a tiny office, looking into the shadowy corners of the clients.

This time, four priceless stamps have been stolen from a wealthy lady, and Archy does his best to juggle his romantic interests with looking for the culprit.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

McNALLY'S SECRET (
Sanders, Lawrence - 1st in series

From Fantastic Fiction: Although he doesn't usually handle burglaries, playboy/sleuth Archy McNally agrees to handle a "discrete" case for a society matron. And his search for stolen property leads Archy into a maze of sex, lies, and blackmail, uncovering a secret that's much too close to home

Funny, very enjoyable. Love the character's relationship with his parents. Light fun.

[Michelle Blackburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun romp. But bring a dictionary to the party.

[somanysusans · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for a light adventure. It turns out I found the narrator, whom the author tried to sell as an affable guy, as more on the insufferable side. The mystery, even though it involved stamps, a topic that interests me, had little going on. The weirdness of what era we were supposed to be in despite the narrator’s Miata and a random cellphone also was distracting; these people talked and acted like they were in the 1940s. The narrator made a reference that compared the distance of something to a home run shot and used Mickey Mantle as a comparison. So strange; Babe Ruth would work even today, but when this was supposed to be set, given the Miata, I think Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds would have come to mind before Mantle. The narrator also seemed overly disturbed by one of the male characters kissing another male character; it seemed to bother him more than finding out his dad was messing around with the woman who owned the estate. It also was long and the lame mystery dragged out. One-star story, but I gave it an extra one for some interesting vocabulary.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

McNally’s Secret is the first book in Lawrence Sanders’s Archy McNally series and the first one I’ve read. This was not the Lawrence Sanders I expected after reading the Edward X. Delaney series (a.k.a. the “Deadly Sins” books). The vibe is quite different—lighter and more humorous. Maybe Sanders was mellowing as he got older (he began this series when he was in his 70s)? Or maybe it just illustrates his versatility as a writer. In any event, I liked the Delaney books and I liked this one too.

Archy McNally is a bachelor in his 30s who lives with his parents in their large home in Palm Beach, Florida. He works for his father’s law firm conducting “discreet inquiries” on behalf of the firm’s rich clients. The job doesn’t seem to require much heavy lifting, and it allows him to hobnob with the haute monde of Palm Beach, which suits Archy well. He is something of a gadabout and doesn’t take life or himself too seriously. He tells us (the book is written in the first person) that he “was expelled from Yale Law for not being serious enough.” “I wasn’t even serious about not being serious, if you follow me.”

Archy’s latest assignment is to make a discreet inquiry into the disappearance of some rare postage stamps (famous in philatelic circles as the “inverted Jenny” issued in 1918) from the home of Lady Cynthia Horowitz. The assumption is that the stamps have been stolen, and there is no shortage of suspects among Lady Cynthia’s eccentric houseguests and her servants. Unfortunately, though, Lady Cynthia’s butler had quit two weeks before. Otherwise, Archy says, “he would have been the prime suspect. All the tomes I had read on criminal behavior were quite firm on that point. The butler always did it.”

Archy has a taste for intrigue in his work. “I wished the Case of the Inverted Jennies to hold hidden surprises, unexpected revelations, and a startling denouement. I should have remembered what Aesop once told me: ‘We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified.’” Indeed, as he admits, his most useful tool as a detective is a mundane telephone directory. (Back when telephone directories were a thing, of course.) But he is actually a pretty skillful detective and he does solve the case.

This is a light mystery and a quick read. There are a couple of deaths in the story but little violence on the page. Archy manages to find time for some romance and sex when he’s not busy making his discreet inquiries. The characters are mostly well-drawn. The imperious Lady Cynthia herself is especially colorful. Archy describes her to his cop buddy, Al Rogoff, as “‘a rather self-centered woman.’” “‘No kidding?’ Rogoff said. ‘And all this time I thought she was a selfish b*tch.’”

Archy is humorous, fun-loving, and self-deprecating: “One day I must try to draw up a blueprint of my moral code. Then, perhaps, I might know what the hell I’m doing and why I do it.” I’m not sure he’ll ever do that, but I don’t care. I like him the way he is.

[Pawarut Jongsirirag · Rating 4 out of 5]

ถ้าคุณมีปัญหา ลองปรึกษา อาร์ชีบาล เเมกนัลลี่ซิ

Mcnally’s Secret เป็นเล่มเเรกในชุด Mcnally ของ Lawrence Sander เล่าถึง อาร์ชีบาล เเมกนัลลี่ หนุ่มเพลย์บอยขี้เล่นเเห่งเมืองปาล์มบีช เขาทำงานให้กับพ่อของเขาที่เปิดบริษัททนายความที่ส่วนมากเเล้วรับเเต่ลูกความไฮโซ เเละพวกไฮโซเหล่านี้ก็มีปัญหามาให้พ่อเเละเขา (ซึ่งพ่อก็จะส่งต่อให้อารชีบัลไปทำอีกที) ปวดหัวอยู่เสมอ วันหนึ่งเลดี้ผู้มีชื่อเสียงฉาวโฉ่เเห่งปาลม์บีช ขอให้ช่วยตามหาเเสตมป์หายากที่หายไปของเธอ อาร์ชีบาลคิดว่างานนี้เป็นเเค่งานง่ายๆหมูๆ เเต่หารู้ไม่ว่ามันพัวพันกับความลับของผู้คนมากมายในเมืองเเห่งนี้

เป็นรหัสคดีเเบบเบาสมอง โดยเนื้อหาไม่ได้ไปในทิศทางเข้มข้นไขคดีลุ้นกันตัวโก่ง เเต่ออกไปในเเนวตลกชวนหัวมากกว่า จุดเด่นของเรื่องคือตัวอาร์ชีบาลเอง Sander สร้างตัวละครนี้ได้มีเสน่ห์มาก เขามีทั้งความเจ้าเล่ห์ ขี้เล่น เเต่บทเอาจริงเอาจังนี่เขาก็ร้ายไม่เบา อาร์ชีบาลเองไม่ได้ฉลาดเป็นกรดในเเบบที่ตัวเอกของนิยายรหัสคดีอื่นๆมักเป็นเเบบนั้น เขาออกจะธรรมดาๆเสียด้วยซ้ำ ต้องอาศัยการช่วยเหลือจากคนนู้นคนนี้เสมอในการไขคดี เเต่กลับกัน การที่เขาธรรมดาๆนี่เเหละที่ทำให้เรื่องมันสนุก ทำให้เราอยากรู้ว่าเขาจะทำอะไรต่อไปเเละจะเกิดอะไรขึ้น เขาจะไขคดีได้มั้ยหรืออะไรจะเป็นตัวช่วยอย่างคาดไม่ถึงให้เเก่เขา

เเสตมป์หายไปไหน เกิดอะไรขึ้นกันเเน่ ต้องไปติดตามในซีรีย์สืบสวนเบาสมองเล่มนี้เลยครับ

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't read any of this author's work before but boy did it sound familiar. It was McNally's first name that gave it away: Archie. I grew up reading Rex Stout and McNally is an incarnation of Archie Goodwin, complete with smart cracks and multi females. We're fifty years on so the plots can involve a number of problems which would have been only hinted at in those earlier stories; homosexuality can say its name and sex can act in front of the curtain but the language in this remains decent and we are definitely dealing with the moneyed class of Palm Beach. These are the only people who can afford to pay the McNally's fees. The stand-in for Wolfe is Archie's father and while his process of ratiocination is similar to Wolfe's he hasn't nearly as many idiosyncrasies as that very large and almost immovable man. This was a fun read and interesting to see what Mr. Goodwin would be like if Mr. Stout were writing today.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine a P.G.Wodehouse book that takes place in the States without all the zaniness, and that would be the best description that I can give of this enjoyable read.
MC NALLY'S SECRET is about young playboy Archie McNally working on an investigation requiring secrecy and discretion at his father's request for his firm in the rich community in which they live. Many interesting twists and turns take place involving both father and son having personal relationships with people involved in the investigation, and slowly Archie begins to unravel the truth of the principals involved in the theft and resulting deaths with the collaboration with his friend on the police force.
Somewhat different than where my usual interest lies in a read, but was a monthly suggestion for a poll on the Goodreads "Pulp Fiction" group, so I gave it a try and found I liked it quite a bit. Recommended.

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Archy:

I still adore you after all these years.

Love, Belle❤️

[Nelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main character, Archy is if Charlie Harper from Two and a Half Men and Harvey Specter from Suits had a baby but dialed down to 60% of their combined qualities that made them charming and devious.

I expected him to be charming, rather I expected him to charm me lol but methinks, irl he'd irritate me despite him dressing so nice and being somewhat funny. He's definitely not a dislikable main character, he just doesn't ooze charm as expected in a rake.

The book as a whole is OK. That's the best I can do lol. Nobody stands out, not even the main character. The plot is just OK. The storytelling is just OK. Even the plot twist at the end (if it can be called that) didn't shock me or anything. It's not a terrible book, I'd read it again if it's any consolation. Hell, I'd even read the whole series despite all I've said.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: high living playboy McNally combines street smarts, and being in the right place some of the time, to search for stolen stamps.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful drivel. Fluff and nonsense of the highest order.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 5 out of 5]

He lives at home, in a separate garage apartment, shares cocktail hour with mater and pater, tries to be faithful but falls for buxom beauties, enjoys the specialties at his local yacht club/ bar. His fashion sense would match a striped lime green beret to cherry red polkadot tie over lilac checkered golf knickers. The finest cognac, aromatic cheroot, and onion bedecked burger. I read the series more for his eccentricities and hot Florida sun than adulterous greedy socialite soap opera leading to murders.

Forgotten which ones I read, but recognize most covers and descriptions. The emphasis on sex seems outdated now, 1960s - 1970s feel. Character portrayal suffered when taken over by another author, Vincent. Hope these notes give enough of flavor, better than empty rating.

[Tom Nailor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it high literature? No. Is it Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple? No. Is it a fun romp and a good mystery? Of course. Ala a playboy Adrian Monk or a wealthy Shawn Spencer, Archy McNally is a ton of fun as narrator and protagonist. This one has some good intrigue and is classic McNally--with the usual flirtations, foodie fun, and fashionable finery. Recommended if you like fun mysteries, if you like to laugh with the rich and not so fabulous, or if you want a beach read to be enjoyed in any temperature.

[Sharyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't believe I never read this series! Assigned for book club, will be fun to discuss. Ok, so I lived in Palm, Beach for a summer, and West Palm for awhile and my mother lived in Delray beach, so it was fun knowing many of the places. Archie is just a riot, and I love that he uses Yiddishisms, which is funny in WASP Palm Beach. I also own a Miata, but silver. This is just a fun romp, and I will read at least the next 3. The mystery was almost incidental to the story, which is more character based than mystery based. Just a fun book.

[Circa Girl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lawrence Sander's work is usually a 4 or 5 star read for me but while McNally's Secret is clever and quirky, it doesn't pack any meaningful characters or antagonist motivations like the Seven Deadly Sins series or even The Seduction of Peter S.
I do enjoy the indulgent descriptions of fine liquor and food and McNally's peppy inner monologues and funny assessments of the odd rich folks he has to deal with.
I'm hoping future installations put a bit more thought into how the story falls into place and the overall developments of suspects.

[Jim Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A better than average detective novel. I thought the pace was good and the surprises sufficiently frequent to keep me interested. I don’t recall reading any other book by this author. I could easily identify with the lead character.

The plot is a little convoluted, but not more than one would expect from a book of this genre. The characters are reasonably well developed except possibly the blond that appears late in the story, but probably that was intended. She plays only a minor role in the story as a whole.