eBook Lawrence Sanders McNally's Alibi (Archy McNally) ePub

I just trashed "The Big Sleep" in a review, and I am about to do the same here, for the same reasons. The editing in the Kindle editions of books I pay decent money for, is atrocious. I wouldn't send out an E mail looking as bad as the typos are in this in particular book, and this series in general. It would be one thing if this was a .99 special, but it's not. I love these stories and look forward to my reading time, only to be jarred out of a rhythm each time I hit a cinder block of a typo. Please, I'm begging you to fix this. I am getting nostalgic for real books again. Sigh.

While, McNally's Alibi is the easily the most densely plotted of the eleven in the series, it still retains its mystery-lite quality and is great fun. It is a tongue-in-cheeky romp amongst the rich and infamous in Palm Beach. Highway Patrol Lt. Georgia O'Hara is introduced. She is a much better paramour for Archy then the tedious Connie Garcia. Double dealing, double crossing, a sting operation as well as a counter sting revolve around the whereabouts of the original manuscript of a Truman Capote novel that an ardent rich collector desires. Archy and his excellent supporting cast sort out the truth and lies and save the day. A good time to be had for the reader. Worth the time for you to read and enjoy.

I like all of this series by Lawrence Sanders. These Archy McNally detective stories are all set in Palm Beach with high society characters involved in all sorts of underhanded activities. The players all become like old friends after reading a few of these books. The plots are simple and the situations and people are humorous. It is light easy reading after tackling other more complex stories, a spot of relief and light-hearted fun. The seller was fast and responsive and the book was in excellent condition on arrival.

I have read every book in the Archy McNally series, and I've enjoyed each of them. I remain awed by how seamlessly author Vincent Lardo took over a series started by another writer, in this case, the late Lawrence Sanders. So it is with regret that I don't feel that McNALLY'S ALIBI deserves my customary five-stars, though it certainly earns four.
There is a line in a Jacques Brel song that talks about how a character is "cute, cute, cute, in a stupid-assed way." Well, sadly, this is the point to which Archy McNally, the protagonist of this series, seems to be evolving.
I long have suspected that this Archy was based, at least in part, on Archie Goodwin of the NERO WOLFE mysteries. Yet Archie Goodwin always was suave and elegant, like Cary Grant or James Bond. Never in this series has Archy McNally been suave and elegant; he actually was kind of fey from the very first book. Since that first book was published, a new word has been coined, "metrosexual," referring to straight men who enjoy pleasures usually perceived as gay, such as facials and manicures. Not James Bond but more Niles Crane, the brother on the television series FRASIER. Well, though Archy definitely is a metrosexual, the problem is that he is starting to sound more deranged than fey.
This is pity, because the plot in McNALLY'S ALIBI is as good as any in the series, and the denouement perhaps even more clever than usual.
As someone who has spent a fair amount of time in Palm Beach myself, I also would like to see a bit more local color in these stories.
The McNALLY books all remain favorites of mine, but I do hope that the author and his editor can reel Archy back in so that he seems a little more realistic.

I continue to be intrigued by the personality variances in the Archy character, given through the separate voice clarity of Lawrence Sanders and Vincent Lardo. That entrancement is enhanced by my professional interest (I've been a parapsychologist since 1979) in the paranormal aspects of the author-pair situation, and as applied by Lardo to the plots in each of his novels. How could I not continue to be hooked to this series, when those fascinations are added to Lardo's ability to weave complex plots (this one around an unpublished manuscript, "Answered Prayers" by Truman Capote), and to seamlessly incorporate his personal knowledge of lifestyles of the very, very wealthy.

Memories of Archy-1's sensitive, sensual, compassionate personality continue to contrast the testosterone richness of Archy-2's controlling, sometimes angry impatience ... which is appealing in its own way... controlling, organizing, director types possessing ambitious, rampant masculinity (in both sexes) accomplish/finish the essentials for keeping the world's motors running. While noticeably missing the responsive Archy-1, I'm thankful for the opportunity to read the pushier Archy-2, with the push evidenced by more than the fact that he chooses to take on cases only after expressions of critical resistance, accompanied by warnings to himself, of disaster brewing in games of potential clients. I see why Lardo initiated Archy's new style of interviewing clients who come directly to him, rather than through Prescott McNally, Archy's employer/father, as Sanders' Archy had done through most of Sanders' first 7 novels (I'm looking forward to rereading the series at some point, to confirm or alter for myself, conclusions I've drawn about the differences between Archy 1 & 2).

Concurrent with the ongoing paranormal themes in Lardo's continuance, Archy-2 has dubbed ALIBI's case, "A Voice from the Grave" (couldn't help but wonder if Lardo had a different title in mind for ALIBI). And, what's up with Lardo mentioning "Siggy" (Sigmund Freud) in a plot featuring an ugly murdered guy (a drug addict and overall looser) named Lawrence Swensen? What's up Doc?

My interest surged during the interview scene between Archy and Tyler Beaumont (descendant of presidents, etc.). I was impressed with the exposure of Lardo's depth of understanding of (in stereotype and in reality) the psychological angst and lifestyles of the richest-of-the-rich, the oldest-of-the-oldest-families. To me, it's clear that this was the subculture about which Vincent had preferred to write, and his enhancement of it in ALIBI increased my curiosity about Lardo's Hamptons novels. (See his web site; address included in my McNally Listmania). What had put me off those novels was their feeling of heavy investment in socio-political comment. Contrastingly, what had warmed me into the McNally series was Archy's lack of investment in socio-political comment, his gems of philosophical lightness contrasted to dips into moodiness.

I've lived (comfortably self-supporting) at a poverty level of income most of my life; yet I've not been able to sustain (at least not beyond a few years in college) critical or disdainful anger toward other economic, ethnic, or socio-political subcultures. I've not been able to place and retain resources (emotional as well as financial, such as they aren't) into group Causes, either against the "fortunate" or for the "not fortunate." Maybe that is why I enjoy Robert B. Parker's Spenser series. (See my recent review of PALE KINGS AND PRINCES for a comment on Spenser's "CAUSE-less-ness"; note that Social Causes are different from personal causes driving rescues of individuals).

Another novel which dips insightfully into The Hamptons lifestyles is Cleo Coyle's MURDER MOST FROTHY. My review on that mystery seems to have magnetized itself to receipt of a huge collection of "No" votes. Am I supposed to harbor hatred for those who appear to be above me? I do not disdain differences; I'm either intrigued by them, or they become less visible as I warm to them.

Regarding those issues, in some ways I identify with Denver's Molly Brown, though I'll never achieve great wealth myself; I'd be thrilled to have my novels published professionally enough to give them a chance to reach their earned level of success, in which case I won't be giving away my millions; I'll be spending the heck out of them.

Whatever. This life is indeed strangely ironic at times; the works of fiction I've found which best expose the ironies of it are Ayn Rand's two novels, Parker's Spenser series (if read in order), and the Archy McNally series. The contrasts in Lardo and Sanders, as they live and work through Archy, offer a wealth of life-and-character studies.

In closing, I'll slither to the edge of a reviewer's limb, wearing my parapsychologist's hat (black, cone-shaped) and wax philosophically about personality needs to control, which I believe are healthy, possibly essential, at certain times, yet a time comes during which...

(Yes, since I own a magic broom, being on the edge of a limb ... or cliff ... isn't a huge risk!)

As a person arrives at the final chapter in life, especially if that chapter stretches over a few years instead of coming to fruition in moments or months, that person's needs to control (literally everything) gradually become less important, less felt, until the person reaches a healing inner peace, an ability to effortlessly enjoy moments, without losing the morrow of life, in fact gaining it by lack of attempts to possess it.

I believe Sanders was within that type of extended final chapter when he wrote this series; and the letting go of compulsions to control (a freeing of spirit which I believe most of us crave at the level of spirit) impregnated his products. From my possibly warped perspective, Lardo was not at that type of Final Chapter when he wrote his Archy novels. Possibly that is one of the reasons for the difference between Archy 1 & 2 ... in addition to the personality variances between Larry and Vince?

Is Death, then, the Mother of Beauty (and Beauty Peace)?

A soothing melancholy radiated from the last page of ALIBI, giving the feeling of looking up into a clear night sky, of transporting oneself for a moment into the twinkling of stars.

As noted here and in my other reviews of McNally novels, I'm thankful for the opportunity to read this type of series, to see the contrasts between its authors' "driving" of its characters.

What a Gift from "The Universe."

Linda Shelnutt

Archie McNally is the man!!!!! Archie once again proves that discrete inquiries is a valuable commodity in the fight against crime.

Few writers are as insightful about how an inquisitive mind works while managing to entertain and amuse you. Too bad he's gone.

The Grand old Sting has too many players and that makes the story line a bit muddled. Not as enjoyable as most of the McNally books.