I just read a great book!

I have never blogged about a book before...well, at least not one that wasn't written by me! But "LATE BET" by DOUGLAS STEWART is the first I've read to deserve my blogging attention. If you, like myself, ever wanted to square things with--or better yet get cold revenge on casinos, especially creepy and crooked ones, read this book. Stewart's main character has just the right idea. And after reading this book, you might really have an appetite to sock it to these heartless casinos.

"Late Bet" is racy and moves across both European and Vegas casinos. Without giving away too much of the story, the main character, Dex, sets out on his obsessive, all-consuming thirst for revenge against a casino partnership that cheated him, mainly refusing to pay a legitimate monster-bet that they ruled as late, hence Stewart's appropriate and fitting title. Ignoring the dangers of taking on casino moguls, Dex plans to destroy Space City, the glitzy mega-resort on the Las Vegas Strip as well as its partner, the discreet Dukes Casino in London's Mayfair. He takes on sinister casino bosses while partnering up with fellow gambler Scotty Brannigan, a Las Vegas based Formula-One Grand Prix racing driver, who helps him thrash the casinos. We also run into a Malaysian betting syndicate that corrupts sportsmen, hot babes, whom Dex learns can really fuck up plans for attacking the casinos, even when he finds opportunities through them. He gets involved with both a svelte BBC-TV journalist and an outrageous Australian nurse, quite the amorous cocktail. Add to this a Caribbean hideaway, glitzy Grand Prix circuits including Monaco and Indianapolis, and, of course, murders. All this makes for jaw-dropping shocks, and suspense abounds as Dex's opposing casino creeps fight him dirty to the end.

Stewart's writing is fast-moving and laced with that natural British sarcasm that comes across so effortlessly. It is also obvious (he's written books on the subject)that he has a thorough understanding of gambling, casinos, and most important, the human nature of greed and corruption, so prevalent on both sides of the casino world.

Tough to put this one down, and I suggest you pick up a copy.

I have posted images with hyperlinks on both my home and blog pages to facilitate ordering the book. Trust me, when it comes to casino capers I know a good one!