Lawrence Sanders: McNally's Dilemma (An Archy McNally Novel)

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Summary: Lawrence Sanders' colorful character, Archy McNally, is back
Review: In Archy's eighth volume in crime, his fun, familiar voice takes on a welcomed maturing tone. My only concern for our discreet inquirer is that he's smoking more, dressing somewhat more conservatively, and eating less gourmet dishes. Our Archy deserves better than medium rare steak tartare. Let's leave Archy's growth to solving crimes. It didn't take long to recover from the copyright page that proclaims Vincent Lardo as L.S.'s heir apparent to extend our beloved Archy. After reading Chapter one online, I knew I'd be buying and reading this book. The characters are wonderful as usual, but the plot is predictable, but painlessly enjoyable. It feels like we are spoon-fed more clues than in previous Archy yarns. Mr. Lardo repeatedly tells us which holes are empty, and which have been filled in order to solve the puzzle. Arcy's readers don't need that much help, Mr. Lardo. After all, as Melva tells Archy, "You're better at your job than anyone suspects."

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Summary: predictable
Review: I first thought that Lawrence Sanders had one last manuscript in him before his passing - and this was it. Then I read the inside page and found out a Lawrence Sanders "clone" had ghost written this book. This wouldn't have been so terrible (and has been done before) if the publishers hadn't tried to pawn it off as a Sanders book. Obviously greed played a key role here. The book itself wasn't that bad and was written in the same vein as others in the series. I just resent the way it was presented.

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Summary: This book is a delightful read.
Review: I bought this book before I realized it was not written by Lawrence Sanders and I was prepared to not like it because of the deception about who authored the book. However, I must say it was a delightful read. All of the same cast we have known are there and the new author makes this as entertaining as Sanders. I'm not sure I could have told you this book was not written by Sanders if I didn't know it before I read it. I recommend the publisher do what was done with the James Bond books and identify the new author, but keep the McNally title.

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Summary: The Best of all the McNally series!
Review: There is a reader (I truly doubt that he or she is) who feels that this book was not written by Lawrence Sanders. Look at the copyright? Give me break!! Is this person as ignorant as I believe. Yes, Lawrence Sanders died in 1998, but isn't it possible that there may be 5 or 6 yet unpublished Mcnally books in the Wings. Besides if you haven't read it....you can't review it! This was truly a Lawrence Sanders book, written with the gusto, cleaverness, and humor of the rest of the McNally books. (Incidentally I have read all of them). Archie was at his best along with the rest of the cast....Binky, Consuelo, et. all. If this is the last of the McNally books...what a loss. He was one of the best Mystery authors in the profession. For those of you who have never read one of the Mcnally series, I truly recommend that you do. You will have the experience of reading pure, unadulterated class. You will also find joy and entertainment, because you will have the chance to read them all. Thanks, Lawrence, for the many hours I have spent with the Palm Beach clan.

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Summary: AS GOOD AS THE PREVIOUS ONES IN THE SERIES
Review: Am about 2/3 way through and find this book to be as good or better than some of the other McNally books. I believe Sanders did outline and do most of the writing on this one and hope he has more to come.

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Summary: READER BEWARE!
Review: After reading the first chapter, I looked very closely at the copyright page, and lo and behold! It was NOT written by Sanders, but by a different author under Sanders name. Thought so. Fans of Archy and his Palm Beach life will see the difference right away. Towards the end of the book, the style changes again- almost as if Sanders himself wrote the last half. Weird.

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Summary: It is ghost written but it is not too bad, and improves
Review: I knew that Lawrence Sanders had passed away, but I was curious about the fate of the McNally series. At the end of twenty pages I was utterly convinced that the Sander's estate had made a terrible choice to ghost write this series. By the end of the book Mr. Lardo had gotten better. He had quit trying to be too cute and began to concetrate on the story. There are several twists and turns in the plot, and I must say that I enjoyed the book. If the series continues I would buy the next episode. I think this book rates 31/2 stars, but not 4 stars.

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Summary: A travesty of Sanders' wonderful work
Review: I really don't understand how the estate could have allowed this wretched thing to be written, much less published. It contains many of the superficial attributes of the McNally novels, but none of the depth of character, real kindness, witty dialogue, or plot of the originals. It just reads like a bunch of descriptions lifted from them all slung together. Don't buy this, please. No one deserves to make money on a wonderful author's grave.

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Summary: Buyer beware! This book was NOT written by Lawrence Sanders
Review: This book may be ok. I haven't read it and I won't. The reason is the sneaky way this book is being marketed as a Sanders, when it was written entirely by someone else. (Read the copyright page!) I think this kind of nonsense is totally unethical. Why not be honest with the readers, put the real author's name on the cover, and say "based on characters by Lawrence Sanders." Greed is a terrible thing.

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Summary: Suprised to find a "New" Lawrence Sanders
Review: I must have been living under a rock for the last year and wasn't aware that Lawrence Sanders had died in February 1998. After I purchased the book I read on the copyright page that Vincent Lardo had actually written this book. The dust jacket only says that Lawrence Sander "was" the author of 22 bestsellers The book itself is okay but lacks the bounce and rhythm of an original McNally caper. It was still fun, however, to revisit Archie's Palm Beach and all those interesting characters. Lardo does his best to capture a true portrait of witty and fun-loving Archie McNally. Sometimes he misses the true essence that is Archie but othertimes he hits the nail on the head.