Aces and Eights

Sam Prichard #12

by David Archer

Thirty years ago, Harry Winslow's wife and children died in a tragic house fire while he was out of the country on a mission for Uncle Sam — or did they? Someone has left Harry an envelope containing photos of his wife and children some years after they were supposed to have died.

Freshly retired from his years as a Government Agent, Harry turns to Sam Prichard. Sam and Indie managed to track down his family, but the incredible story only gets wilder from there. An old friend of Harry's had staged the deaths of his family, while leading his wife to believe that Harry was the one who had died, and that the KGB was coming for her family. In desperation, she allowed him to take her out of the country and create new identities for herself and her children.

Now the truth is out, and Harry and his wife are reunited, but then his old friend is murdered and Harry is the only viable suspect. Will Sam be able to prove his innocence? It's a game of poker — and the chips are human lives.

Genres: Action

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

David Archer was born and raised in Bakersfield, California. He is a fiction author and novelist, writing in the mysteries and thrillers genre. His approach to writing is to hit deep, keep you entertained, and leave you wanting MORE with every turn of the page. He writes mysteries, thrillers, and suspense novels, all of which are primed to get your heart pumping.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Kling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great sam prichard mystery

I would have given a 5 except for a few errors in spelling and wrong pronouns and times. I have read every sam prichard book. Never disappointed. It would make a great TV series. It is fast paced with twists and turns in the plot. Also, it is a clean write. I dont use profanity and dont need to read it. Also no graphic sex scenes. Im not into porn. So if you like mystery and suspense with good plots then you will want to read all sam prichard books. It is also believable and the characters seem real.

[Mary Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five 🌟

Very enjoyable series. It is fast paced and very well written. It is delightful to be able to read a good p.i. series that is not filled with a lot of trashy language. I look forward to each release of this Sam Pritchard series. 👍

[IMHO · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Archer's "ACES AND EIGHTS" is a powerful story of intrigue and cover-up
of a 30 year old plot and double-cross.
The best Sam Prichard novel to date!

A MUST READ !!!

I received a review copy, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review
and have no personal affiliation with the author.

[LooseBoots · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant intense dramatic action packed story. I had read a couple of the first Sam Pritchard stories but missed the rest in between. This one more than made up for it. Sams character isn't perfect but he gets pretty close. This was another book that had me reading until the early hours. Thank you David for creating this for us.

[CAROL VANATTA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely Worth the Waitt

It seems as if MR. ARCHER took longer than usual to get this book out , or perhaps I really missed SAM INDIE and KENZIE.
This one was so exciting I couldn't put it down.

[Dennis Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

The day I discovered the San Prichard series was a lucky one indeed. I find the characters totally engaging and the plots sufficiently out of the ordinary that each read is most enjoyable. I highly recommend this series and suggest reading them in order.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

More San and Indie

Love this series. I have enjoyed every book. So glad that Harry had something good happen in his life. And such a small clue that tipped San off.

[Harold Kasselman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't wait for this book to end. I don't know why I disliked it so much. Maybe it was the white bread/mayonnaise quality of the dialogue. Maybe it was the phrase used by Harry when he referred to his pal Sam as "old boy" constantly. Or maybe it was the vanilla and sanitized language in the book. But surely it was the reliance upon a ghost named Beauregard to save the hero that turned me off completely. It read like a Hallmark movie script There was no curse words or sexual content in all. The plot was absurd and strained credulity. But if you like vanilla G rated books with comically contrived plots, then by all mean dive in. How this book gets so many four and five star reviews makes me suspicious.

[Rosemarie Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding as ever

I have become a fan of Mr. Archer. Please come back soon with another great adventure of Sam Prichard and his family. Oh don't forget our ghost.
Everyone this is a wonderful story and you will not regretted, the story line is as always outstanding.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner!

I love these Sam Pritchard books. And also I love the way characters come and go in this series. Sam, Indie and Kensie have become part of my family!
This is a great, clean romantic thriller. But warning: it will make you lose sleep!

[barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner for David Archer.

Loved this book. Full of surprises, suspense, and action. It really draws you in and wanting more. Full of twists and turns as only David Archer can provide.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great continuation of the series

I really enjoyed reading this latest installment of Sam Prichard and look forward to the next. David Archer creates some fascinating yet believable story lines that keep me engaged in the story.

[F E W Timberlake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Predictable but good

If you've read any of the other Sam Pritchard novels this will come as no surprise. Sam always wins and it's usually as he's just about to get killed. Having said this it's certainly worth reading.

[david schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic Story

Another great action and suspenseful book by David Archer, the stories he writes keep you reading every book as fast as you can so you are ready for the next one!

[Kenneth Schaeffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed

Excellent. One of your best yet. Little disappointed in Indie though. I thought she would have figured out she had been hacked early on. Overall A. Looking forward to the next book.

[Bernice Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It just doesn't stop!

I cannot put Me Archer's books down. They are riveting. His imagination amazed me. His primary people feel like my friends

[Viola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tricky

The tale of intrigue, suspense, deception, murder by a great writer! Love the character development into the intelligent and well trained folk!

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the book, it was pretty hard to figure out what was going to happen next.. Lots of twist and turns.

[Amanda Nichol · Rating 4 out of 5]

GREAT vacation book, mystery and suspense.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent tale I am so looking forward to the next Installment

[Tim Shepperson Shepperson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

This book kept your interest from beginning to end. However, there seemed to be a lot of redundancy on the main plot. Overall it was a good read.

[Dave Sause · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, lots of twists and turns.

[ReneE · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.5) Second book I've read in the series - not in order; I previously read the first one ("The Grave Man"). This story (book 12) was better, as expected being 12th in the series. To Mr. Archer's credit, he has created sympathetic, likable characters. The plot for this book was much better than the first book, and engaging for the most part. I enjoyed the first half much more than the last half when, for me, it went kind of off the rails and slid into the ridiculous.

There was too much repetition of events. Would have been better to just convey it to someone but not repeat EVERYTHING (slowed down the pace a lot) -- maybe something like ....'Sam explained to him everything that had happened' instead of always repeating everything.

For someone who had been a 'superspy' for so many years (Harry) and someone who was some hotshot PI (Sam), they sure made some bonehead decisions (or nondecisions), such as driving around in a car that they SHOULD have known was being tracked and by using their personal cell phones (even after Michael TOLD Sam he had Sam's house/electronics bugged!). Doesn't sound like a couple of top-level operatives to me!

At least Sam realized, FINALLY, that his car was being tracked, but when he realized the phone was bugged, he still kept using it so Michael knew their every move (just plain dumb). It was obvious to me that Michael faked his own death -- obliterating the face. As soon as I read that, I realized it, but it took Sam looking at crime scene pictures (of the hands) to realize it. That should have occurred to them right away. The fact that Michael had previously faked Kathleen's and the children's deaths should have been a clue, as well as the fact Michael was just too good to be caught flat-footed and killed. It certainly wasn't a bad book, but could have been a little tighter.

I'm not a big fan of the whole Beauregard shtick. It's just like an escape hatch when Sam needs to know something and can't figure it out on his own. I think it would be better without ol' Beau. And speaking of Beauregard, and his hint/reference to Sam having to BLUFF at the end, where was the "bluff"? Was it when Michael asked if Sam wanted a last smoke (like THAT's believable for Michael to do!) and Sam was able to pull out that one-shot lighter? How is that a bluff? I didn't get that at all.

[Thomas R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Aces and Eights

This is my first time reading a book in the Sam Pritchard series and it was a very good and interesting storyline. Pritchard is a Private Eye, former police officer who with the help of a psychic Mother in law is able to solve crimes and prevent disasters before they occur. Pritchard s wife is a master at computer hacking and they all work together to help people. The author understands the Politics of the Intelligence Agencies and the Police Departments.This storyline goes back thirty years, when Pritchard s friend was young active Agent who lost his family in a tragic accident. The storyline is very complex and very interesting.

[Susan Clair Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aces and Eights

Harry has been forcibly retired and finds is wife and children that died 30 years ago are alive and healthy. Harry goes to Sam, they locate his family and head for Florida. Harry's best friend and fellow agent from then through deception stole his family. Michael fakes his murder, sets Harry up for the fall and is tying up loose ends to start a new life selling secrets when Sam is able to kill him and unravel the plot. Harry has his family back, Sam goes home and he is celebrating his wife's pregnancy with Indie and Kensie. Love this author.

[Ellen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Archer has once again written a winner with "ACES AND EIGHTS" # 12 in his Sam Prichard series. Powerful plot and characters we love. How Michael could be so conniving and carry it off for thirty years. The tension and emotions run high as you read this book. Trying to grasp how it could possible turn out, will there be any winners. Love all of his books, and hopeful we'll see another one soon.

[Elizabeth Wilson Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brillant read

I really enjoy David Archer's writing and find it hard to put down any of his books without finishing. This latest Sam Pritchard story was enthralling and l love all the twists and turns in the adventure. Pritchard as a family!y man with emotions is so different from Mr Archer's other creation Noah Wolfe yet he brings both to life and both in their own way get the job done. I look forward to David Archer's future imaginations

[Murrel Lowry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Headline

Once again, authorDavid Archer has given me a book well worth my time to read. Lots of action throughout to keep me on my toes while simultaneously turning pages. Neat trick if you can do it and I think I can. Now I'm looking forward to the next reads with Sam and company. It's always great to have good book to read and time to do what you love to do. Let's see where I'm going next.

[Bob Ely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam agrees to help an old friend, who just retired from the CIA to find his wife, whom he believed was killed 30 years ago. She has resurfaced. They find out, that she was told by her now husband, his old friend, that he was also killed 30 years ago. This leads to a meeting among the 4 and finally her children. The now husband is killed and the ex CIA man is a suspect. It is up to Sam and his wife Indie to try and prove he is not guilty. The story is good and keeps the reader involved.

[Larry Killebrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read

My first David Archer novel! I'll say, it'll not be my last! Enjoyed the twists and turns, the surprises and thrills. Not a fan of profanity, or soft porn, Mr.Archer did NOT stoop to cheap, quick, writing styles. Rather, he fully developed his characters into real believable people, even the villans. you could imagine chatting with them over a cup of coffee while waiting on your appointment.