McNally's Bluff

An ethereal quality which I quite enjoyed bled through into parts of this # 6 novel in Vincent Lardo's Archy collection (# 13 in the whole series). In certain luxuriously drawn scenes, I could almost sense light pouring holes through the pages, similarly to images which have been portrayed in movies like the Harry Potter series, and The Never Ending Story. In McNally's BLUFF, Lardo had honed his author skills so well, he seemed to be literally producing magic in how certain scenes lifted off the pages and danced before, around, and within me. One scene in particular, which was infused with this type of "living light," was of the short yacht excursion to which Archy and Georgy were invited by Carolyn Taylor, and which included her boy toy, Billy, and Connie and Alex. While reading BLUFF I was able to conceptualize another of the core differences I've been sensing (on an edge of unconsciousness) between Sanders and Lardo. Lawrence Sander seemed to naturally view life through a philosophical perspective; Vincent Lardo seems to look at human machinations through a sociological lens. Each seasoned author etched those leanings, consciously or not, into their thematic content, plot structure, and designs of Archy's motivations, curiosities, and basic drives through life. Sanders was automatically focused on the meaning of life itself, and how to get the most out of the experience as an individual. Lardo seems to automatically center on the interconnections among human beings, especially as they're separated socially or politically into clusters, cliques, or classes. I don't know if these two authors fully realized how they were driven by this type of targeted viewpoint, when they were in process with a plot. Probably few of us do. Yet, I believe we're each driven by unique needs to know, by unique curiosities, which we each possess at core, at the center, the target of our essence-of-being, and of moving forward. In SECRET, Sanders had Archy state that we're all hedonists at heart, though few of us admit it. In essence, through his McNally series, Sanders uses Archy to dramatize that unique, individual desire to know what gives personal pleasure, what gives a sense of satisfaction, why it does so, and how to enhance that need to "suck the marrow out of life." In BLUFF, Lardo's Archy seems to imply that we (as human beings) tend to compare ourselves to others at higher levels in social class structure, and that we need to belong, to be accepted within the cream of social strata. Yet, at the same time we've been liberally taught to revile luxury, opulence, privilege and class. These contrasts bring to mind the thematic essence of Ayn Rand's novels, FOUNTAINHEAD and ATLAS SHRUGGED. Are we naturally oriented, as a species, to self or to others; and which is the prime/ethical way of being. In myself, I have felt the natural needs of both Archies. I am very much an individual, and have released some of the culturally induced taint of feelin

An ethereal quality which I quite enjoyed bled through into parts of this # 6 novel in Vincent Lardo's Archy collection (# 13 in the whole series). In certain luxuriously drawn scenes, I could almost sense light pouring holes through the pages, similarly to images which have been portrayed in movies like the Harry Potter series, and The Never Ending Story. In McNally's BLUFF, Lardo had honed his author skills so well, he seemed to be literally producing magic in how certain scenes lifted off the pages and danced before, around, and within me. One scene in particular, which was infused with this type of "living light," was of the short yacht excursion to which Archy and Georgy were invited by Carolyn Taylor, and which included her boy toy, Billy, and Connie and Alex. While reading BLUFF I was able to conceptualize another of the core differences I've been sensing (on an edge of unconsciousness) between Sanders and Lardo. Lawrence Sander seemed to naturally view life through a philosophical perspective; Vincent Lardo seems to look at human machinations through a sociological lens. Each seasoned author etched those leanings, consciously or not, into their thematic content, plot structure, and designs of Archy's motivations, curiosities, and basic drives through life. Sanders was automatically focused on the meaning of life itself, and how to get the most out of the experience as an individual. Lardo seems to automatically center on the interconnections among human beings, especially as they're separated socially or politically into clusters, cliques, or classes. I don't know if these two authors fully realized how they were driven by this type of targeted viewpoint, when they were in process with a plot. Probably few of us do. Yet, I believe we're each driven by unique needs to know, by unique curiosities, which we each possess at core, at the center, the target of our essence-of-being, and of moving forward. In SECRET, Sanders had Archy state that we're all hedonists at heart, though few of us admit it. In essence, through his McNally series, Sanders uses Archy to dramatize that unique, individual desire to know what gives personal pleasure, what gives a sense of satisfaction, why it does so, and how to enhance that need to "suck the marrow out of life." In BLUFF, Lardo's Archy seems to imply that we (as human beings) tend to compare ourselves to others at higher levels in social class structure, and that we need to belong, to be accepted within the cream of social strata. Yet, at the same time we've been liberally taught to revile luxury, opulence, privilege and class. These contrasts bring to mind the thematic essence of Ayn Rand's novels, FOUNTAINHEAD and ATLAS SHRUGGED. Are we naturally oriented, as a species, to self or to others; and which is the prime/ethical way of being. In myself, I have felt the natural needs of both Archies. I am very much an individual, and have released some of the culturally induced taint of feelin

Vincent Lardo continues to write "in the style of" Lawrence Sanders who create the Archy McNally series. Archy McNally is a Palm Beach private investigator who works out of his wealthy father's law offices. Archy and the Palm Beach A list are invited to the opening of La Maze. Newcomers to the Palm Beach scene, Matthew Hayes, former carnival cannon ball, and his wife Marlena Marvel, are throwing a party to get in with the "right crowd." Hayes has recreated an English maze at his mansion and the party goers pair off to find their way to the center. But the contest begins only after Marlena recreates her famous impression of Venus DeMilo. But alas, most of the contestants grew increasingly frustrated and not only couldn't find the maze center, they couldn't get out. Following the maze game, fabulous buffet tables awaited the guests. But the hostess couldn't be found. And then the search was on again -- and didn't end until she was found dead, at the center of the maze. How could she get there past all the contestants? Who killed her? When? Why? Matthew hired Archy on the spot to find answers. But as he digs in, there are only more questions. Then the most promising suspects, those with the best apparent motives, begin to die, and good leads turn to dead ends. The characters are believable and include those you'll love to love -- and those you'll love to hate. One caution, if you really care, be prepared to take notes and create diagrams to try to keep up with who is sleeping with who -- and who slept with who, but isn't any more. Armchair Interviews says: Readers who like fast-paced easy reads will enjoy McNally's Bluff. There are plenty of clues, but many of the suspicions the reader will share with Archy will turn out to be unfounded and red herrings.

All of Palm Beach society is gathered at the home of a new arrival--former carnival owner Matthew Hayes. The party, a first look at a huge maze the carney built on his expensive property. But the prize turns out to be something none of the party-goers expected--a dead body at the center of the maze. Private Investigator (and man about town) Archy McNally was at the party and now Matt is asking for Archy's help in finding his wife's killer. Archy resists at first--but the case just might tie into another one that his father has been asked to provide legal services to. As always, Archy finds himself swimming through a sea of beautiful women. There's his longtime-but-no-longer lover, Consuela. There's new love interest, Georgie. But there's also the beautiful and rich widow of a Florida billionaire--who just might have killed that very billionaire. And Archy can't help being attracted to the T.V. star--despite her being quite married. With his erstwhile sidekick, Binky, off providing services to a muckraking reporter, Archy is on his own in trying to find a killer. The Vincent Lardo/Lawrence Sanders stories attempt and sometimes achieve a modern remake of the suave private eyes of the 1930s. Archy is always well (if sometimes ostentatiously) dressed, likes his alcohol, treats women like cute puppies, and is fastidious with his grammar. In several earlier stories, I objected to a streak of cruelty in Archy's treatment of Binky and others. Here, Archy seems not less full of himself but at least less cruel to others. His run-in with a several-year-old suit even exposed a bit of well-hidden self-doubt. Lardo keeps a quick light tone, maintains a steady diet of beautiful women, corpses, high society, and murder, and delivers a page-turning mystery read. It's fluff, of course, but it's enjoyable fluff.

Characters remain interesting and fresh while maintaining an airtight plot!