Book #26 - Wild Card

The Tony Valentine series is great, and Wild Card looks back, going to the time when the first casino opens, Valentine is just a cop and his wife is alive. He begins to investigate the idea that the casino is being cheated for a million dollars a day and we find out how he became the expert cheat catcher that he is today.

It’s a great look at the origins of this character, with all the integrity and honesty that he brings to the future series. I really enjoyed this look back at a character I’ve enjoyed. We learn how Valentine got into this business and some of why he was so successful. It’s partially him, but also a lot of bumbling from the rest of New Jersey, being unfamiliar with just how much money is spent gambling.

Worth the read.