McNally's Dilemma

Had a problem reading this book and just did not like it...really like Sanders writings, but this book just not a good one. Then I realized it was not written by Sanders thus the problem. Will not buy any more of Lardos efforts. He should not been allowed to use Lawerence Sanders name on the books.

When I bought & read "McNally's Dilemma" (the hard copy version) I didn't even know that Lawrence Sanders hadn't written the story. I snatched it up as past as I could and immediately started reading. Like Julierb, I enjoyed Archy's suave silliness and all the quirky characters in the series' previous books. To that end, I found Vincent Lardo's story much in keeping with Sanders' legacy.It wasn't until many months after I'd finished "McNally's Dilemma" and then read about Sanders' death that I picked up the book again and noticed Lardo's name on the cover. I am not usually so unobservant so I think it illustrates the point that a hard core McNally fan simply couldn't tell the difference. Maybe if I had known it wasn't written by Lawrence Sanders I might not have enjoyed the story because I knew it wasn't Sanders and I would have felt disloyal somehow.I think it is the mark of a brave and talented author who can pick up another's characters and turn them into his own. Vincent Lardo will allow the series to grow and evolve while being faithful to the original stories. Everyone has to change and grow - even Archy McNally. I liked "McNally's Dilemma" so much that I have picked up the latest Sanders/Lardo collaboration "McNally's Folly: An Archy McNally Novel by Vincent Lardo" - in hard copy because I just couldn't wait to read it. I think that shows that Vincent Lardo is succeeding in keeping Archy McNally and Lawrence Sanders alive in the hearts of their fans.Another good example of a series continued by another author after the original author's death is "Perchance to Dream" started by Raymond Chandler as the sequel to "The Big Sleep" and finished by Robert B. Parker. Chandler was about 4 chapters into it when he died. Parker picked it up after almost 40 years and seamlessly slipped his pen into the story.

I knew Lawrence Sanders had passed away and expected that Archy McNally had died with him. Needless to say, I was extremely excited when I found McNally's Dilemma penned by Vincent Lardo. From the first chapter you can definitely sense this is not the same Archy McNally. I sensed that Archy McNally had developed a mean streak after his many dealings with the Palm Beach underworld. However after continuing on, we are again exposed to our loved Archy McNally, his enjoyable meals, his eloquent speech,and his constant philandering! True fans of Lawrence Sanders will enjoy the book, especially since many who knew of his death did not expect to ever again join Archy McNally in another adventure.

Just finished reading this newest offering in the Sanders series. Yes, it is true that it's not written by the Lawrence Sanders who captivated us throughout the McNally books, but it is an equivalent (and better in many respects). Mr. Lardo captures Sanders' voice and wit superbly.As others have written here, I too find it peculiar that Putnam Publishing has chosen to keep Mr. Lardo's identity a secret. He also authored (under his own name) The Hampton Affair (also published by Putnam), which I found to be a great read. The book is set in the swanky Hamptons of Long Island's "East End" (ala Palm Beach) where money, sex and murder prove to be fertile subject matter. I highly recommend both books. Just my thoughts!