Subtitled, a ‘Po-po Poker Mystery’, Bluff is a crime novel,
set in USA, with a new detective and a sassy female ‘victim’ paired for the
romance element. It is one of a series, hence the subtitle.
I know almost nothing about poker, but that didn’t impair my
understanding, or my enjoyment of the book. There is humour, tension, a moral
message and a credible outcome in this woman in jeopardy tale. The female
character, Abigail, is strong and intelligent as well as ‘model girl’
attractive, which helps the plot and the reader’s enjoyment. The male lead is a
detective of Italian descent, who I’ll call ‘Sal’, since great play is made of
the fact that his colleagues find his full name more or less unpronounceable.
A good detective read, this book is a step above many others
in the genre, simply by the inclusion of corruption amongst the wealthy
business class and, in particular, a definite criticism of the American legal
system’s vulnerability to distortion through the power of money.
I enjoyed the read. The story held my attention and the
characters were well drawn. I recommend it to all who enjoy a good, honest
crime tale.
