Grift Sense (Tony Valentine Series Book 1)

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DeMarco is tied to some dangerously desperate characters who will go to extremes—even cold-blooded murder—to ensure that the obnoxious DeMarco wins big. On opposite sides of a deadly game, father and son work their way through a colorful landscape of conmen and hitmen. Featuring insider tips for catching poker cheats, as well as a glossary of card hustler terms!

Tony Valentine Series

Tony Valentine is an expert at spotting cheats. Tony Valentine made his living and his name as a cop in Atlantic City—and is now known worldwide for his ability to spot the kinds of scams, grifts, and rip-offs that cost casinos billions every year. Ricky Smith was once a small-town loser.

Then he went to Las Vegas, jumped out the window of a burning hotel, lived to tell the tale, and tore up the Strip on an incredible winning streak. Unfortunately for Tony, his cover is blown when he is forced to reveal a trick he has up his own sleeve: Now, the Ricky Smith case has lured Gerry through the gates of temptation and into a murderous confrontation with the Dixie Mafia. With Tony stuck on the slippery slope of Slippery Rock and Gerry fighting for his life, the Valentines are finding out just how bad good luck can get.

Against a neon-tinted backdrop of adrenaline rushes, hard crashes, big money, and high-wire tension, the inimitable James Swain has set his best Tony Valentine novel yet: When Tony Valentine, a master at catching casino cheaters, jets to Las Vegas to look for his missing son, he lands in the middle of a dangerous turf war between rival casinos. Swain writes with a fine sense of irony, and the story is a comedy hidden inside a mystery. May 15, Dave rated it it was amazing Shelves: Hard to put down. I was introduced to Swain's work via his pair of Billy Cunningham novels about a gang of card sharks, card mechanics, pickpockets, and thieves determined to pull off Las Vegas' biggest scam.

Swain's far more lengthy Tony Valentine series preceded the Billy Cunningham novels by at least a decade. Valentine is a retired police detective with an eye for grifters, cheaters, and scammers. Swain expertly paints a picture of an older g Terrific novel. Swain expertly paints a picture of an older guy set in his ways, still grieving over the loss of his wife and frustrated with always bailing his no-good son out of jams.

Valentine is brought out of retirement by casino security in Las Vegas who are dumbfounded by a new scam and can't figure out how the cheating took place. This book just soars with excitement and energy. Swain really took every scene and filled it with life and anticipation. While he didn't use fancy prose, the writing style just draws the reader into the story. I look forward to reading the rest of this series. Aug 07, Rob Kitchin rated it really liked it. Whilst the writing is quite perfunctory, the dialogue is snappy, the plotting is sound, and the story rattles along at a jaunty pace, with some nice twists and turns.

All in all, a fun book that passed a few pleasant hours. When the Acropolis Casino has lost big to a gambler named Frank Fontaine, Tony is hired to find out how it's being done. But things really get interesting when it turns out Fontaine is actually another gambler who was supposed to have been killed years before.

But this is a fun, quick, rather light read with a couple very good twists. He retired, moved to Fl. His neighbor is always helping and becomes his office manager. If you are a casino fan and love blackjack you will enjoy this book. If you jsut love a good entertaining read not too heavy, you will enjoy this book A good who done it. I couldn't put it down. Jan 08, Susan added it. This is a new author for me and a great find. It introduces Tony Valentine who is a retired cop specializing in grifters - con artists.

He's hired to figure out how this guy was playing 'perfect' Black Jack in a Las Vegas casino. These characters are great.

There is another in the series and another coming. Apr 26, Deb Mj rated it it was ok. I loved James Swain's Midnight Rambler and was really looking forward to this, the first in the Tony Valentine series. Completely unlikeable characters across the board, with the possible exception of Tony's neighbor, Mabel.

I may try one more but definitely not in any hurry to do so. Tough but vulnerable casino scam detective, Tony Valentine's first case. Good series for fans of gambling scam crimes. Tony's got a soft side, but has a nose for flushing out the con men and casino cheats. Nov 24, Carol Jean rated it did not like it. Oddly disjointed and staggering from tone to tone like someone who -- well, EXACTLY like someone who keeps interrupting his own narrative to tell a silly joke. Not convincing on any level. And not funny either! Apr 23, Jill rated it did not like it. I love my Dad.

He loves this book. I read this book. Corny dialogue, caricatures instead of characters Jersey goombahs in Vegas , I figured out the "surprise twist" ending about 25 pages in. I still love my Dad. A retired policeman whose job had been to stop gambling cheaters now has a consulting business. He's called to Las Vegas to catch some crooks. Jul 10, Susan rated it it was ok. There's a lot going on in this one. Maybe a little too much for me, or maybe I took too long to read it. Books about grifters are always fun, so maybe I'll try the next book in the series.

May 02, Mo rated it really liked it. I usually don't read mysteries, but this involves gambling so I was powerless to resist. An addictive series, so watch out. I like this book. I liked the first one hundred fifty pages even more. Then something happened, either with me or the book. Everything began to unravel-coincidences, discrepancies, and things added I guess for atmosphere but striking me as flotsam.

And i do get tired of the-family-of-the-investigator-is-always-threatened scenario. Valentine is a pretty cool protagonist, though, and I am a sucker for gambling books. Was not the best. This book convinced me that I don't want to gamble. Casinos and the rules under which they operate are definitely a poor man's tax. Sep 26, Donald Houston rated it it was amazing Shelves: Excitement combined with an inside look at gambling plus a very good selection of characters all in one book! I love all of Swain's books! Always a pleasure reading them.

I recommend all of his books. Oct 18, Brian O'Leary rated it liked it. Decent first effort, can see the potential, but it doesn't quite tie together.

Grift Sense

He often does this sometimes from the comfort of his home in Florida; casino security personnel sends him a video recording of a suspected fraudster, he analyzes the video, spots the cheater and reports back via the phone. However this time round he receives a phone call from his longtime police partner by the name Doyle Flanagan.

Flanagan has gone out on his own and is investigating a blackjack punter who has hit the Atlantic City casino for approximately six million dollars. He is stuck in his investigation and hopes that he could use some help, but before Tony gets a chance to have a glimpse at the video, Flanagan is killed by a bomb planted by the people he was investigating.

So this time round the case becomes personal and Tony flies up to Atlantic City and takes over the investigation. It is clear that some very bizarre things are going to happen to this casino and more so at the blackjack tables, but Tony is initially puzzled. He clear knows well that the big winner is playing with a partner and that they must have to be cheating, and neither of them is that lucky or good.

However with all his experience, Tony seems not to figure out how the cheaters are working their scam and not long he finds himself in the circle of the same people responsible for the death of his friend.

Publication Order of Tony Valentine Books

From time to time he has had to bail out his son, Gerry but the stupid kid keeps on digging himself deeper into trouble. In the third installment, we again meet Tony Valentine, a retired cop who captures casino fraudsters and this time, the Micanopy Indian Reservation Casino in South Florida desperately require his services. A blackjack dealer has manipulated a game, gave a player 84 wins in a row and then disappeared. Furthermore, the missing dealer is also a part of an even far deadlier and bigger scheme. His trail of investigation leads him to Rico Blanco where some violent gangster who once worked John Gotti, his partner in crime Victor Marks and a hooker named Candy Hart.

Apparently, it appears that they have a con game going on involving a wealthy Brit and his millions of dollars. Sucker Bet is the third installment and far much more interesting read than the first two books. In this book, Tony is maturing in significant ways which make him a more likable character.

He is helped by his trusted neighbor, Mabel who is often in charge of the office while Tony is out. Valentine has several clients, and his friend Mabel frequently makes calls to him to figure several scams he is tasked to investigate.

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