MBR Bookwatch: Mr. Lucky

Mr. Lucky

James Swain

Ballantine

ISBN: 0345475445 $19.95

When a fire breaks out in the Riverboat Casino, small time gambler Ricky Smith jumps from his burning balcony into a pool. A few minutes later without a look back he enters the Mint. He borrows twenty bucks; Smith starts at blackjack, turns to roulette and dice before completing his incredible run by wiping out poker expert Tex Snyder. In a short period, Smith went from loser to millionaire never losing a hand at any of the games he played. The Vegas Nevada Gaming Control Board wants Tony Valentine, head of Grift Sense, to figure out how Smith accomplished this incredible run. Tony wants to refuse the assignment, but when the consortium adds the wiping out his wastrel son's debts, he agrees only for the sake of his daughter in-law and granddaughter. Smith is back in North Carolina, but the streak continues with a lottery win. Tony struggles to debunk MR. LUCKY as no pattern except the wins emerge. In his latest grift tale, James Swain provides a delightful wild gambling tale that also provides a cautionary waning to those hooked by the glitter of internet and televised poker. Tony is terrific as he cannot find how Smith can win at seemingly random events like a lottery. Wild and zany, MR. LUCKY is a terrific royal flush thriller.