McNally's Bluff:a novel by Vincent Lardo

Lardo is faltering, September 26, 2004***


I enjoyed the original McNally books by Lawrence Sanders and have generally enjoyed the follow-up books by Vince Lardo. From the beginning, this series has been lightweight stuff, suitable for a pleasant quick read and easy to forget. I found "McNally's Bluff" the lightest of the series so far. Archie McNally is back as Palm Beach PI to the rich and famous. Still ensconced in a tiny office in his father's law firm, Archie is the man about town always surrounded by some beautiful woman or two. His long-time squeeze, Consuela, has taken up with a dashing Cuban expatriate. Archie's newest love, Georgie, is a Florida state trooper who played a more prominent role in the previous novel.

The plot this time revolves around Matthew Hayes, a former carnival operator and his sidekick and wife, Marlena Marvel. Ms Marvel is quickly disposed of at the opening gala to celebrate the new arrivals to Palm Beach and their amazing maze. How her body came to be in the center of the maze moments after the guests have been taipsing through it, and who killed her, is the puzzle Archie is hired to solve by Matthew Hayes. Although suspicion is cast on several characters, the villain is fairly clear from the start.

The McNally novels have been fluffy from the start. This one is the fluffiest of the lot.