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Tony Valentine #9
Wild Card
From the bestselling mystery series Lee Child calls “Top class suspense ... must reads for me, and one of my favorite series.” comes a novel of murder, mobsters and a police detective who doesn’t know when to say quit.It’s 1979, and the Boardwalk Empire of Atlantic City is being torn down, replaced by a glitzy casino and all the terrible crime that goes with it. Cops on the take, mobsters stealing a million dollars a day, a serial killer preying on prostitutes, and more con men and hustlers than you can shake a stick at define the new Atlantic City. Only one man can clean up the little city by the shore, Detective Tony Valentine.With the mob breathing down his throat and a sadistic killer stalking him, Valentine will put his own life in peril, and risk his career, to insure that justice prevails.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
607 pages, ebook
First published September 30, 2010
58 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
James Swain
49 books352 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 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 10, 2016
This is the ninth and final installment in James Swain's series featuring Tony Valentine. For those unacquainted with the character, Valentine is a widower and an ex-cop from Atlantic City. Upon leaving the police force, he moved to Florida and opened his own consulting business, Grift Sense, in which he works with casinos to identify and deter cheaters. There's a good supporting cast of characters, including his son, Gerry, who has been a problem child from day one, and Bill Higgins, head of the Nevada Gaming Control Board's investigative unit, who frequently requests Tony's help and who has become one of his best friends. It's a very interesting and entertaining series; Valentine is a totally unique protagonist, and one of the fun things about reading the books is that they are chock full of tricks that grifters use to scam gambling games.
While this is the last book in the series, it could really be the first. This is a prequel to the other eight books and tells Tony's origins story. It opens back in 1979. Tony is still a young man in his late thirties. He's still married to his wife, Lois, and Gerry, his son, is only thirteen--an occasional pain in the ass on his way to becoming a major pain in the ass.
At this point, Tony is still a detective on the Atlantic City PD, investigating the normal run of criminal activities. But casino gambling has just arrived in A.C., and Resorts International, the first large casino, has just opened. Tony's boss details him to deal with criminal activity in the casino, including cheaters. Though his boss has a good reason for assigning him, Tony feels like this is a demotion and he's not happy about it.
Tony assumes his new responsibilities, but at the same time quietly attempts to keep a hand in an investigation he was involved with earlier. A serial killer is targeting hookers, and Tony was trying to track him down. His boss has ordered him away from the investigation, but Tony can't let it go.
As the book progresses, Tony continues to track the investigation into the serial murders while at the same time he begins to get an education into the ways in which cheaters try to con gambling games. It's a fun read, but frankly, it's not quite on a par with the other books in the series. This one will appeal principally to people who are well-acquainted with the series and who are curious about Tony's back story. Readers fresh to the series would be well-advised to begin with the first book, Grift Sense.
I've followed this series from the beginning and, as is always the case, I hate to let go of a character I've really come to enjoy. I'd hoped for a really strong ending to the series, but this book really doesn't work that well in that regard. It's somewhat disorienting to have the final book in the series set before all the others and there's a twist at the end of the book that was very hard to take seriously. For that reason, I'm giving this book three stars rather than four. It's still a good book, but the other eight in the series are better, and I'm happy to have them sitting on the shelf so that I can revisit them periodically.
A final note: For some reason, this book and the eighth in the series, Jackpot, are available only as e-books.
While this is the last book in the series, it could really be the first. This is a prequel to the other eight books and tells Tony's origins story. It opens back in 1979. Tony is still a young man in his late thirties. He's still married to his wife, Lois, and Gerry, his son, is only thirteen--an occasional pain in the ass on his way to becoming a major pain in the ass.
At this point, Tony is still a detective on the Atlantic City PD, investigating the normal run of criminal activities. But casino gambling has just arrived in A.C., and Resorts International, the first large casino, has just opened. Tony's boss details him to deal with criminal activity in the casino, including cheaters. Though his boss has a good reason for assigning him, Tony feels like this is a demotion and he's not happy about it.
Tony assumes his new responsibilities, but at the same time quietly attempts to keep a hand in an investigation he was involved with earlier. A serial killer is targeting hookers, and Tony was trying to track him down. His boss has ordered him away from the investigation, but Tony can't let it go.
As the book progresses, Tony continues to track the investigation into the serial murders while at the same time he begins to get an education into the ways in which cheaters try to con gambling games. It's a fun read, but frankly, it's not quite on a par with the other books in the series. This one will appeal principally to people who are well-acquainted with the series and who are curious about Tony's back story. Readers fresh to the series would be well-advised to begin with the first book, Grift Sense.
I've followed this series from the beginning and, as is always the case, I hate to let go of a character I've really come to enjoy. I'd hoped for a really strong ending to the series, but this book really doesn't work that well in that regard. It's somewhat disorienting to have the final book in the series set before all the others and there's a twist at the end of the book that was very hard to take seriously. For that reason, I'm giving this book three stars rather than four. It's still a good book, but the other eight in the series are better, and I'm happy to have them sitting on the shelf so that I can revisit them periodically.
A final note: For some reason, this book and the eighth in the series, Jackpot, are available only as e-books.
June 24, 2017
Killers, Cheaters, & Hoods
Tony Valentine now catches casino cheaters. He has a sixth sense known as grift sense and can spot a scam at a glance. This book takes Valentine back to his old days as Homicide Detective in Atlantic City as he transitions into a specialist in finding cheaters. This book involves his hunt for a serial killer, his work catching casino cheats, a trio of cheating brothers, dirty cops, mafia bosses, and reminisces into his past including his young years meeting his wife, his troubles with his drunk father, and all his myriad connections. It's a well written story, easy to read, although perhaps not the tops in the series. Swain's work in this series, including here, is at its best when he describes all the crooked scams the cheaters pull. Fascinating stuff.
Tony Valentine now catches casino cheaters. He has a sixth sense known as grift sense and can spot a scam at a glance. This book takes Valentine back to his old days as Homicide Detective in Atlantic City as he transitions into a specialist in finding cheaters. This book involves his hunt for a serial killer, his work catching casino cheats, a trio of cheating brothers, dirty cops, mafia bosses, and reminisces into his past including his young years meeting his wife, his troubles with his drunk father, and all his myriad connections. It's a well written story, easy to read, although perhaps not the tops in the series. Swain's work in this series, including here, is at its best when he describes all the crooked scams the cheaters pull. Fascinating stuff.
June 27, 2016
I have long been a fan of the Tony Valentine series was disappointed that James Swain (who I met at a local book signing and who blew me away with his card mechanic skills) had evidently finished with the character and moved on to others. While I read those books as well, I think Tony has a special place in my reading heart.
Imagine my surprise when a Goodreads friend reviewed a Tony Valentine book that I had never heard of but that had only been released in e-book form. Since the story deals with Tony's life before he retired from the Atlantic City police force to found "Grift Sense" in Florida to assist casinos in rooting out those who are scamming them. Upon downloading this one, I discovered a second that had only been released in e-book format. Strange that they are both labeled #8 in the Valentine series when they are actually #8 and #9. So downloaded that one as well.
As tends to happen with me with some authors (Lee Child, for example) the story here tore me away from the other books I was reading and let me rip through this one. It has the same elements I enjoyed in the others - the insider view of the casino industry, plot twists and turns, interesting characters and a good flow to the story. After reading all the others, it was great to get a glimpse of Tony's life and learn more about his family relationships and how he learned the ins and outs of cheating casinos.
It might make sense if you are new to the series to start with this one as it provides valuable background.
Actually deserves 4.5 stars but I brought it down a tad since the editing is a bit uneven - spelling mistakes, grammatical errors in places, etc. This is probably due, as James Swain explained to me in an e-mail, that Random House did not publish the two books as a result of the recession. When the rights reverted to him he published them as e-books and they have sold well enough that he now has a new publishing contract with another publisher. Hope we will see more of Tony in the future!
Imagine my surprise when a Goodreads friend reviewed a Tony Valentine book that I had never heard of but that had only been released in e-book form. Since the story deals with Tony's life before he retired from the Atlantic City police force to found "Grift Sense" in Florida to assist casinos in rooting out those who are scamming them. Upon downloading this one, I discovered a second that had only been released in e-book format. Strange that they are both labeled #8 in the Valentine series when they are actually #8 and #9. So downloaded that one as well.
As tends to happen with me with some authors (Lee Child, for example) the story here tore me away from the other books I was reading and let me rip through this one. It has the same elements I enjoyed in the others - the insider view of the casino industry, plot twists and turns, interesting characters and a good flow to the story. After reading all the others, it was great to get a glimpse of Tony's life and learn more about his family relationships and how he learned the ins and outs of cheating casinos.
It might make sense if you are new to the series to start with this one as it provides valuable background.
Actually deserves 4.5 stars but I brought it down a tad since the editing is a bit uneven - spelling mistakes, grammatical errors in places, etc. This is probably due, as James Swain explained to me in an e-mail, that Random House did not publish the two books as a result of the recession. When the rights reverted to him he published them as e-books and they have sold well enough that he now has a new publishing contract with another publisher. Hope we will see more of Tony in the future!
September 11, 2020
Good detective / thriller novel with a quality double plot, even if one of them is serial-killer story...
But the main character is too smooth (happy family man) to really spark interest. It lacks some depth.
Tony Valentine is more interesting to follow in his old age.
But the main character is too smooth (happy family man) to really spark interest. It lacks some depth.
Tony Valentine is more interesting to follow in his old age.
August 28, 2014
WILD CARD (Pub. 2010) by James Swain was truly an intriguing read all the way through. This is the fourth book I've read in the 'Tony Valentine' series, and I'd say it's my favorite except that I've loved every one of these stories by Mr. Swain, so it's impossible to pick a fave. Each time I read one of Swain's novels I find myself wondering why the author isn't more widely known because he's a fantastic writer on several levels. James Swain is running neck and neck with Lee Child as my favorite author, and that is no easy task.
Wild Card is an interesting story all the way around, and on par with many of Harlan Coben's novels in that it's twisty with a lot of stuff going on. The author weaves several subplots into the fold, in an organic way that doesn't slow the pace of the main story, and manages to tie the subplots into the story in a surprising and fun way. Swain is at his best in this novel for several reasons.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book is how personal it feels. We really get a look inside Valentine's life - both his at-home life, as well as his relationship with his father. It does not read like a cookie cutter story at all, even though we get a lot of the same stuff we love about Swain's Valentine series - gambling, cheaters, and ferreting out the bad guys. It was fun to read this pre-quel, and see Tony Valentine back in the day (he's 38 in this one) while he's still a detective on the Atlantic City police force. His son Gerry, is only 13, but already starting to go down the wrong path, and the death of his wife that breaks his heart hasn't happened yet. I enjoyed seeing his close relationship with his wife and son from this vantage point, after having read other books where Valentine is now in his early 60s, widowed, suffering through his adult son's loser-ways, and retired from the police force.
There are many surprising twists throughout the story, right up until the very end, and they all flow together in a way that makes for a great read, page after page. I absolutely couldn't put it down, and that was in spite of being very sick while reading it. This book actually made me feel a little better because it took my mind off myself for awhile.
I always enjoy reading about the insider scoop on the gambling world, seeing Swain's take on the squirrely ways people go at things, and their even squirrelier motivations for what they do. Tony Valentine is a great character - one of the people we'd love to have in our lives and love to see in action. Swain hits just the right note between good-guy-hero and we're-all-human with this character.
I appreciate the consistency Swain brings to all of his novels, whether it's Tony Valentine or Jack Carpenter - the characters and what we love and know about them always comes through, and yet the stories and the characters seem fresh in each book - with no 'rubber stamp' feel, while the writer's voice and style remain solid and consistent. That isn't easy to do book after book.
My hat's off to Mr. Swain and his excellent stories. He's one of the few authors that make me instantly want another one of his books after I finish the last page of the one in my hand.
Wild Card is an interesting story all the way around, and on par with many of Harlan Coben's novels in that it's twisty with a lot of stuff going on. The author weaves several subplots into the fold, in an organic way that doesn't slow the pace of the main story, and manages to tie the subplots into the story in a surprising and fun way. Swain is at his best in this novel for several reasons.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book is how personal it feels. We really get a look inside Valentine's life - both his at-home life, as well as his relationship with his father. It does not read like a cookie cutter story at all, even though we get a lot of the same stuff we love about Swain's Valentine series - gambling, cheaters, and ferreting out the bad guys. It was fun to read this pre-quel, and see Tony Valentine back in the day (he's 38 in this one) while he's still a detective on the Atlantic City police force. His son Gerry, is only 13, but already starting to go down the wrong path, and the death of his wife that breaks his heart hasn't happened yet. I enjoyed seeing his close relationship with his wife and son from this vantage point, after having read other books where Valentine is now in his early 60s, widowed, suffering through his adult son's loser-ways, and retired from the police force.
There are many surprising twists throughout the story, right up until the very end, and they all flow together in a way that makes for a great read, page after page. I absolutely couldn't put it down, and that was in spite of being very sick while reading it. This book actually made me feel a little better because it took my mind off myself for awhile.
I always enjoy reading about the insider scoop on the gambling world, seeing Swain's take on the squirrely ways people go at things, and their even squirrelier motivations for what they do. Tony Valentine is a great character - one of the people we'd love to have in our lives and love to see in action. Swain hits just the right note between good-guy-hero and we're-all-human with this character.
I appreciate the consistency Swain brings to all of his novels, whether it's Tony Valentine or Jack Carpenter - the characters and what we love and know about them always comes through, and yet the stories and the characters seem fresh in each book - with no 'rubber stamp' feel, while the writer's voice and style remain solid and consistent. That isn't easy to do book after book.
My hat's off to Mr. Swain and his excellent stories. He's one of the few authors that make me instantly want another one of his books after I finish the last page of the one in my hand.
October 2, 2014
I've been a long time reader of James Swain's novels. He is one of those writers who I believe might have lost his publishing contract during the downturn of the business. This is a shame because his books were always interesting and fun to read. I had read all of his published Tony Valentine series ,and when he self-published more of these novels, I read them, too. I enjoyed all of them. Wild Card is a prelude to the rest of the series and it shows how Tony Valentine became involved in trapping gambling cheats. If you, too, are a fan of Swain, I highly recommend reading his self-published novels. If you've never read him but are interested in an author who delivers a good plot, interesting characters, and a peek into a different world, I would recommend you start with Grift Sense, and come back to this novel if you become a fan.
For the picky, this novel does have a few formatting errors and typos--but not many. The rest of his self-published books, do not.
For the picky, this novel does have a few formatting errors and typos--but not many. The rest of his self-published books, do not.
May 7, 2011
Another good Tony Valentine book. This is a prequel to Tony's "Grift Sense" business. It is at the time Tony is a detective in the Atlantic City Police Dept, how he got involved in finding casino cheaters and scammers and how he learned the business. His wife is still alive and his son Gerry is only 13. Its the mid 1960's in Atlantic City and the city isn't rife with casinos yet, but the few that are there have already been taken over by scammers and cheaters, some from NYC and some from Las Vegas. The story may be fiction but the scams and the cheaters way to rip off casinos isn't. Makes you understand what these casino's that rake in millions a day had to put up with. Because if one scam is successful the backlash to the customers is enormous.
December 28, 2015
I found this book to very entertaining. It's a light read - perfect for a commute or the beach. But there is enough meat on the characters bones to make each of them interesting. And, Swain provides some good information about how professional cheats game the casinos and private parties. Not being a gambler this was all new to me and I found it fascinating.
I think this was Swain's first published book. If that's true, I'll be delighted to see where he has taken Tony Valentine. Swain is now definitely on my list of authors to recommend and follow.
I think this was Swain's first published book. If that's true, I'll be delighted to see where he has taken Tony Valentine. Swain is now definitely on my list of authors to recommend and follow.
May 28, 2016
Another winner for James Swain!
Cheaters, scammers, hustling brothers, mafia and a serial killer to boot. James Swain is a natural! It's difficult to put this book down from the very first page to the very last page. I have found a favorite writer, and I highly recommend every book James Dwain has put out. I loved this book and I am sure you will, too.
Cheaters, scammers, hustling brothers, mafia and a serial killer to boot. James Swain is a natural! It's difficult to put this book down from the very first page to the very last page. I have found a favorite writer, and I highly recommend every book James Dwain has put out. I loved this book and I am sure you will, too.
November 9, 2011
Published only on Kindle. A prequel to the Tony Valentine series. (Prequels seem to be big this year). Covers his time as an Atlantic City cop and explains how he got into the casino security business.
December 9, 2013
I've read other Valentine books, and most of them have been some time ago. This prequel reminds me of why I've enjoyed this character so much, and also of his whole series. Good book!
May 18, 2020
Tony Valentine has always been a really interesting detective series. Mixing in real casino scams with the more deadly crimes makes for a more entertaining read and his grift sense is always fun. It was cool to see how he learned the casino racket and got his start. The main plot of a serial killer going after prostitutes was okay and offered a couple of twists but felt like it lacked the surprises of the past books. All in all great to return to a series I haven't read in a long time.
March 29, 2018
Another entertaining Tony Valentine story, albeit with a twist. This one is set in Atlantic City in 1979 when Tony was still a police detective. We get an insider's view of how a large number of scams work inside and outside the casinos. Fascinating!
September 8, 2021
I enjoyed it immensely, it held my interest, and kept me guessing. The things that are described are true as stated in the after word in the book so I learned a few things about thieves and gamblers. I recommend this as a good read.
September 24, 2021
He writes very interesting books. The story line is consistent and understandable.
May 10, 2025
great book
Another great book part of the tony Valentine series. This talks about how it all started. I wish he would write some more as part of the series.
Another great book part of the tony Valentine series. This talks about how it all started. I wish he would write some more as part of the series.
November 29, 2013
I'm not a big fan of prequels as I look at them as something an author writes when he/she is out of original ideas. That stated, this one was pretty good, going back to Tony Valentine's time on the police force in Atlantic City.
It's 1979 and Tony is involved in two cases, first learning how to spot and then preventing scams at the newly opened Resorts International Casino in Atlantic City. This also involves New York City mobsters and their skimming from the casino.
The other plot is the search for a serial killer preying on young prostitutes.
As Tony is an Atlantic City native, both plots take him to old relationships during his life.
Readers of the original Grift Sense series will enjoy this.
It's 1979 and Tony is involved in two cases, first learning how to spot and then preventing scams at the newly opened Resorts International Casino in Atlantic City. This also involves New York City mobsters and their skimming from the casino.
The other plot is the search for a serial killer preying on young prostitutes.
As Tony is an Atlantic City native, both plots take him to old relationships during his life.
Readers of the original Grift Sense series will enjoy this.
January 15, 2012
Another story about Tony Valentine, that precedes the first book (Grift Sense) in time, going back to when Tony was a detective in Atlantic City, working to find a serial killer of women, despite his boss's attempts to move him into casino oversight. The killings of prostitutes have all women scared, and Tony's role becomes very personal. Good.
November 6, 2016
And this is how Tony Valentine begins. Very nice!
April 7, 2017
Really good
Really good book. Tony Valentine is a great character. This entire series was terrific. Can not wait to read another one.
Really good book. Tony Valentine is a great character. This entire series was terrific. Can not wait to read another one.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews