Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Mystery
Approximate word count: 60-65,000 words
Availability
Click
on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or
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Author:
“Mark
Jacobs is a freelance writer, martial arts instructor, and semi-professional
poker player who regularly plays for more money than he can afford to lose. His
written work has appeared in publications such as Sports Illustrated, Men’s
Health, and TimeOut New York. The author of the acclaimed instructional text, The Principles of Unarmed Combat, he
currently serves as a monthly columnist for Black Belt Magazine. Pascal’s Wager is his first novel.”
For more,
visit Jacobs’ blog.
Description:
“Pascal
Silver is an action junkie down on his luck. One of the best poker players
alive, a losing streak has forced him to take work as a private detective. But
when the gorgeous daughter of murdered casino owner “Houston Phil” LaPierre
turns to him for help, he finds himself in over his head dealing with the cops,
the mob and the enigmatic but beautiful Allegra LaPierre.”
Appraisal:
What do you
call a hardboiled egg that’s slightly runny in the center? Mark Jacobs’
protagonist, Pascal Silver, is that kind of hardboiled detective. It’s his soft
center that sets him apart from the stereotypical hardboiled gumshoe and makes
me like him even more. An ex-PhD-candidate in philosophy (should I stretch the
analogy and call him an egghead?), the professional poker player and part time
private investigator is living in Las Vegas while he searches for the meaning
of existence. He’s going to crack wise
in hopes of defusing a tense situation before turning to fists and guns and he’s
not afraid to show a sensitive side with a woman. His poker playing skills translate
well to his investigative work, both in his ability to read people’s actions to
determine the veracity of their claims and a strange but effective habit of
applying poker strategy away from the poker table.
The secondary
characters seemed as if they were composites or loosely based on real life
Vegas denizens. For example, anyone with passing familiarity with Las Vegas
history who doesn’t see Benny Binion (former owner of the Horseshoe Casino) as
the basis of the “Houston Phil” LaPierre character isn’t paying attention.
Fans of the
hardboiled detective form should find Pascal’s
Wager a satisfying read, even if they don’t know the difference between a
semi-bluff and a semicolon. For poker players or people who recognize the
origins of the book’s title, you should consider it a can’t miss. I’m hoping
Jacobs has more Pascal Silver books slated for the future.
FYI:
Some adult
language and minor adult content.
Format/Typo Issues:
No
significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
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