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Tony Valentine #8
Jackpot
From the national bestselling novelist the Houston Press calls “One of today’s best suspense writers” comes a electrifying story of murder, greed, and revenge.
Ex-cop Tony Valentine has a score to settle. Decades before, his brother-in-law was gunned down by a gang of ruthless con men, each of whom Valentine has sworn to track down. Now, only one is left, the cold-blooded Bronco Marchese.
Valentine goes to Nevada to bring Bronco to justice, while also helping the police figure out how someone is stealing hundreds of slot machine jackpots without ever touching the machines. It’s a case that only Valentine with his amazing “grift sense” can solve. Along the way, he will put his own life in peril, and risk everything that he holds dear, to bring his life-long enemy to justice.
PRAISE FOR THE TONY VALENTINE SERIES
“Top class suspense... must reads for me, and one of my favorite series.”
– Lee Child
“In this series, the main character is a big winner.”
– Janet Maslin, The New York Times
“The momentum is great, the writing nimble, the action intricate.”
– Los Angeles Times Book Review
“Swain has hit on a winning combination.”
–Washington Post Book World
“Mixing humor, suspense, poignancy and insider-lore, Swain is one terrific writer.
A thoroughly winning book.”
–The Wall Street Journal
“Ingenious entertainment.”
–The New York Times Book Review
“Swain’s mysteries are a sure bet.”
–The Chicago Tribune
“Swain is nothing short of marvelous.”
–Bookreporter.com
“Wow, what a discovery. Swain is one of the best writers I’ve come across.”
–Michael Connelly
“This series has got to be one of the finds of the decade.”
–Kirkus Reviews
Ex-cop Tony Valentine has a score to settle. Decades before, his brother-in-law was gunned down by a gang of ruthless con men, each of whom Valentine has sworn to track down. Now, only one is left, the cold-blooded Bronco Marchese.
Valentine goes to Nevada to bring Bronco to justice, while also helping the police figure out how someone is stealing hundreds of slot machine jackpots without ever touching the machines. It’s a case that only Valentine with his amazing “grift sense” can solve. Along the way, he will put his own life in peril, and risk everything that he holds dear, to bring his life-long enemy to justice.
PRAISE FOR THE TONY VALENTINE SERIES
“Top class suspense... must reads for me, and one of my favorite series.”
– Lee Child
“In this series, the main character is a big winner.”
– Janet Maslin, The New York Times
“The momentum is great, the writing nimble, the action intricate.”
– Los Angeles Times Book Review
“Swain has hit on a winning combination.”
–Washington Post Book World
“Mixing humor, suspense, poignancy and insider-lore, Swain is one terrific writer.
A thoroughly winning book.”
–The Wall Street Journal
“Ingenious entertainment.”
–The New York Times Book Review
“Swain’s mysteries are a sure bet.”
–The Chicago Tribune
“Swain is nothing short of marvelous.”
–Bookreporter.com
“Wow, what a discovery. Swain is one of the best writers I’ve come across.”
–Michael Connelly
“This series has got to be one of the finds of the decade.”
–Kirkus Reviews
Kindle Edition
First published October 5, 2010
31 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
James Swain
49 books353 followersJames 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.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 21, 2016
This is the eighth entry in James Swain's excellent series featuring Tony Valentine and, unfortunately, for some reason it currently exists only as an e-book.
For those who haven't yet made his acquaintance, Valentine is a former cop from Atlantic City. Upon retirement, Tony moved to Florida and opened a consulting business called Grift Sense. Basically, he consults with casinos, attempting to protect them from cheaters who are attempting to rip them off.
In this case, someone is rigging slot machines in Nevada casinos and stealing thousands of dollars. Tony gets a call from an old friend in Vegas asking for help. For reasons explained in earlier books, Tony has vowed not to work in Vegas again, but then his friend drops the bomb: the man suspected of being at the heart of the scheme is Bronco Marchese. Years ago, Marchese murdered Tony's brother-in-law in New Jersey and was never brought to justice. The opportunity to nab Marchese and settle this score after all these years is bait that Tony can't refuse.
Tony heads to Nevada with his son Gerry in tow. Gerry is now a partner in Grift Sense, but he and Tony have had a troubled relationship through the years and Tony worries that Gerry is still not totally reliable. He continues to hope that his son is finally on the straight and narrow and that he can depend upon him, but the matter is still clearly in doubt.
Once the two arrive, Tony discovers that he has waded into one of the most complex and dangerous cases he's ever confronted. The chances that he'll even survive, let alone resolve this case and deal effectively with Bruno Marchese, are very much in doubt.
As always, this is a very entertaining story with well-drawn characters, many of whom are very appealing. And, as always, Swain provides a lot of insider information about the way cheaters operate, and that too is one of the pleasures of this series. Any fan of crime fiction who happens to own a Kindle, might want to look for this one.
For those who haven't yet made his acquaintance, Valentine is a former cop from Atlantic City. Upon retirement, Tony moved to Florida and opened a consulting business called Grift Sense. Basically, he consults with casinos, attempting to protect them from cheaters who are attempting to rip them off.
In this case, someone is rigging slot machines in Nevada casinos and stealing thousands of dollars. Tony gets a call from an old friend in Vegas asking for help. For reasons explained in earlier books, Tony has vowed not to work in Vegas again, but then his friend drops the bomb: the man suspected of being at the heart of the scheme is Bronco Marchese. Years ago, Marchese murdered Tony's brother-in-law in New Jersey and was never brought to justice. The opportunity to nab Marchese and settle this score after all these years is bait that Tony can't refuse.
Tony heads to Nevada with his son Gerry in tow. Gerry is now a partner in Grift Sense, but he and Tony have had a troubled relationship through the years and Tony worries that Gerry is still not totally reliable. He continues to hope that his son is finally on the straight and narrow and that he can depend upon him, but the matter is still clearly in doubt.
Once the two arrive, Tony discovers that he has waded into one of the most complex and dangerous cases he's ever confronted. The chances that he'll even survive, let alone resolve this case and deal effectively with Bruno Marchese, are very much in doubt.
As always, this is a very entertaining story with well-drawn characters, many of whom are very appealing. And, as always, Swain provides a lot of insider information about the way cheaters operate, and that too is one of the pleasures of this series. Any fan of crime fiction who happens to own a Kindle, might want to look for this one.
July 22, 2016
I needed to rearrange some books on my kindle to move the ones I've finished further down in the machine. To do this means I need to select a book then close it so they shift position. Well, I clicked on this one and it was a big mistake as I had to set aside the other kindle titles I was reading after getting into the first chapter on this one. Had to keep going to find out what happened and enjoy the "fun" of folks attempting to outwit the casinos (and vice versa). The Tony Valentine series is my favorite by this author. Tony and his son work to help casino owners catch cheaters (the son is getting better at it due to the insights provided by his own criminal mind) and this tale is particularly inventive. As much as I enjoyed it, it might be better to start with the earlier ones to get some insight into the father-son relationship, Tony's Vegas issues, as well as some of the personal relationships. But the entire series is fun, fast moving and holds ones interest. This book had a few errors of the type spell check misses such as using "prey" rather than "pray", "heals" vs. "heels", talking about a shaven "hand" instead of "head" and a character so scared he wet his pants after being betrayed by his "bowels" instead of "bladder". Still, these are minor faults in an enjoyable read.
July 30, 2014
I love Swain's Tony Valentine series and read them all in one gulp a few summers back. Sadly, Swain dropped the series for the more typical Jack Carpenter series (Midnight Rambler), which I don't much care for. Fortunately for us fans, Swain had a pair of unreleased ones, now released as e-books, as well as another two with other lead characters.
It's great to have Tony, Jerry and Mabel back, along with the glitzy Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Florida backdrops, complete with casino bosses, grifters and criminals of every stripe.
With a plot that speeds along, Swain mixes humor with suspense, more than a few hair-raising turns and a big heart.
I'm now looking forward to Wild Card, a prequel set back in AC.
It's great to have Tony, Jerry and Mabel back, along with the glitzy Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Florida backdrops, complete with casino bosses, grifters and criminals of every stripe.
With a plot that speeds along, Swain mixes humor with suspense, more than a few hair-raising turns and a big heart.
I'm now looking forward to Wild Card, a prequel set back in AC.
September 22, 2011
I very much enjoy Swain’s Tony Valentine character. For whatever reason, Swain’s publisher had decided not to release this book a couple of years ago, and only now has it come out for Kindle. It’s an excellent story that continues relationship between Gerry (Tony’s reprobate son) and his father.
For those not familiar with the Valentine character, Tony runs a business, Grift Sense, that detects and reveals casino cheaters, i.e. grifters. Part of the fun of the books lies in the detail Swain provides about various scams and how they work as well as the psychology of gambling. He cites Skinner’s famous experiments with mice. ““The mouse tapped on that lever all day long. It didn’t matter that the mouse didn’t know when the food would come out. The mouse just knew that it eventually would. Skinner called this intermittent reinforcement.” “And that’s how slot machines hook suckers into playing,” Gerry said. “Yeah, but there’s a catch.” “What’s that?” “Slot players believe the more money they put in, the more likely the machine will pay off.” This belief has no basis in fact since payoffs are entirely random. That randomness is challenged by a clever gang of experts who have a unique motivation for punishing Vegas.
(Note that the author reports at the end of the book that he borrowed this particular scam from a real event that occurred in the nineties.)
For those not familiar with the Valentine character, Tony runs a business, Grift Sense, that detects and reveals casino cheaters, i.e. grifters. Part of the fun of the books lies in the detail Swain provides about various scams and how they work as well as the psychology of gambling. He cites Skinner’s famous experiments with mice. ““The mouse tapped on that lever all day long. It didn’t matter that the mouse didn’t know when the food would come out. The mouse just knew that it eventually would. Skinner called this intermittent reinforcement.” “And that’s how slot machines hook suckers into playing,” Gerry said. “Yeah, but there’s a catch.” “What’s that?” “Slot players believe the more money they put in, the more likely the machine will pay off.” This belief has no basis in fact since payoffs are entirely random. That randomness is challenged by a clever gang of experts who have a unique motivation for punishing Vegas.
(Note that the author reports at the end of the book that he borrowed this particular scam from a real event that occurred in the nineties.)
May 1, 2011
I liked the book. I liked finding out that no matter how secure or supposedly untamperable a piece of electronic equipment is supposed to be there is someone out there that will try and breach it and sometimes they suceed. Tony Valentine is a cheaters worst nighmare. This time instead of catching card sharks he goes to Las Vegas and tries to find an old nemisis that is finding ways to beat the slot machines. This book is a nice fast read and very entertaining.
November 9, 2011
Love this series. Tony Valentine is a detective specializing in uncovering cheating in casinos. This book was published only on Kindle. It seemed more violent than previous books. Still a good suspense book with amazing insights into the casino business.
March 13, 2012
I'm a huge fan of James Swain, especially the Tony Valentine novels. I couldn't read his last 3 releases because they were only available as ebooks. The first thing I did after getting my kindle fire was buy these books. Absolutely awesome, better than ever!
May 22, 2016
Love Valentine Series!
It is one of the best mystery books I've read. After each chapter, I could hardly wait to turn the page to the next. It's a must read if you like a great story. I am onto the next one now.
It is one of the best mystery books I've read. After each chapter, I could hardly wait to turn the page to the next. It's a must read if you like a great story. I am onto the next one now.
July 9, 2012
James Swain's Tony Valentine series is always entertaining, and this final (?) entry is no exception. Wish I could read the entire series for the first time again.
May 17, 2015
,very well written .. it pulls several different plots together and makes for a good conclusion.I e.enjoyed the book and I have no choice
April 16, 2015
Rated this book 4 1/2 stars. I believe this is the last book in the series. Enjoyable reads.
June 28, 2017
Cheaters, Grifters, & Other Con Men
Jackpot is the 8th volume in Swain's terrific series about a retired Atlantic City police detective who now lives in Florida, catching casino cheats. Joined now by his son Gerry, Tony Valentine has a certain "Grift Sense" whereby he can watch surveillance videos and pick up certain tells. This one has the Valentines catching cheaters at horse races, Indian casinos, Las Vegas, and Reno. The story has them playing cat and mouse with a cheater to end all cheaters, sort of like a detective tangling with a clever serial killer who can don many disguises, escape like Houdini, and will stop at nothing. There's also a high stakes conspiracy which could put an end to the whole gaming industry.
As always, Swain's writing makes for real easy reading. He gives us a thriller with cat chases, violence, and suspense. Nothing overly deep or philosophical. Just a fun read.
Jackpot is the 8th volume in Swain's terrific series about a retired Atlantic City police detective who now lives in Florida, catching casino cheats. Joined now by his son Gerry, Tony Valentine has a certain "Grift Sense" whereby he can watch surveillance videos and pick up certain tells. This one has the Valentines catching cheaters at horse races, Indian casinos, Las Vegas, and Reno. The story has them playing cat and mouse with a cheater to end all cheaters, sort of like a detective tangling with a clever serial killer who can don many disguises, escape like Houdini, and will stop at nothing. There's also a high stakes conspiracy which could put an end to the whole gaming industry.
As always, Swain's writing makes for real easy reading. He gives us a thriller with cat chases, violence, and suspense. Nothing overly deep or philosophical. Just a fun read.
May 25, 2021
Good read for gamblers!
A well researched and written novel. Tony’s son finally seems to be coming of age and I found myself almost liking him!
The casino industry is so tight and clandestine and to gain a glimpse into some of it’s workings was a treat.
A well researched and written novel. Tony’s son finally seems to be coming of age and I found myself almost liking him!
The casino industry is so tight and clandestine and to gain a glimpse into some of it’s workings was a treat.
December 25, 2017
Swain hits the Jackpot!
As always, you never fail to learn from the lengths the criminal mind will go to to secure his filthy lucre.
As always, you never fail to learn from the lengths the criminal mind will go to to secure his filthy lucre.
October 2, 2025
Tony Valentine and his son Gerry are balled by Bill Higgins to try to obtain the identity of a person in Vegas casino control, who is cheating. Both have close brushes with deal at the hands of Bruno, who escapes from prison. Eventually, the two manage to figure out the scam and avoid losing the respect of the public for controlling the casinos. Note: horrible typos, poor editing detract from this ebook.
January 17, 2017
Another fast paced caper
Another exciting story in the Tony Valentine series, this time chasing down a crook from Tony's past who knows a secret that could destroy the gambling industry in Nevada. Love this series and I wish there were more. Docking one star due to some weird copy editing (Never heard the term "bullgarbage" before) and a very glaring loose end that is not addressed.
Another exciting story in the Tony Valentine series, this time chasing down a crook from Tony's past who knows a secret that could destroy the gambling industry in Nevada. Love this series and I wish there were more. Docking one star due to some weird copy editing (Never heard the term "bullgarbage" before) and a very glaring loose end that is not addressed.
July 9, 2015
Typical Tony Valentine novel by Swain. Loosely based on an a Nevada Gaming Control agent's crime back in the late 90's.
A nice read for those who like to read about gambling scams.
A nice read for those who like to read about gambling scams.
November 6, 2016
Entirely believable, the passing of the baton from the old to the new.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews