You Bet Your Life

Neanche il tempo di conoscerlo, 'sto Toby Peters, che già ci si trova immersi in una rincorsa a perdifiato tra pedinamenti, pericoli e rapporti umani che davvero fatichiamo a chiamare relazioni.

Giocarsi la pelle è quel tipo poliziesco di cui si sente la mancanza una volta finito. Il detective Peters sembra aver sviluppato più attaccamento al pericolo che non alla sua stessa vita. E da questa peculiarità sgorgano inseguimenti e pallottole che fischiano rasenti alle orecchie, e metodi di lavoro non sempre ben visti dalla commissione di revoca delle licenze da investigatore privato.

E che dire poi delle strane frequentazioni di Peters, che nell'irreale realismo della missione arriva addirittura a stringere la mano ad un bizzarro show more personaggio britannico, di nome Jan Fleming.
Un libro che racchiude di tutto: i ritmi serrati del poliziesco, un detective dai modi davvero originali e uno stile di scrittura asciutto che catapulta il lettore direttamente alle calcagna di Peters. Inutile sperare di uscirne illesi. show less

You Bet Your Life by Stuart Kaminisky is the third entry in his series featuring Toby Peters, a 1940s private detective who is under contract to MGM studios in Hollywood. Although this one was my least favourite of the three that I have read so far, probably because the setting was 1940s Chicago instead of Hollywood, it was still a fun read.

Toby is instructed to look into payment of gambling debts that the Chicago Mob are demanding from Chico Marx, even though Chico swears that these are not his debts. Even with Toby suffering from the flu throughout most of the book he is able to untwist this mob rip-off story with lots of humor and action. The addition of the Marx Brothers to the story went a long way toward my reader satisfaction, show more but the appearance of some other famous names of the times – Al Capone, Richard J. Daley and Ian Fleming for example, didn’t particularly ring true.

I will certainly be continuing on with this series as I enjoy these quick moving, clever mysteries set in the 1940s. show less

Took me a while to get used to the way it was written and things were presented, but I absolutely fell in love with this book and the series, and plan to get the third one whenever I can. A very well-put together fantasy, one that I can revisit time and time again.
The characters were incredibly interesting, the magic sublime, the plot easy to follow and I did want to follow it! Recommend to all who love "smart" epic fantasy novels that aren't just fantastical tales of magic and swordplay.

Re-reading the series.
Toby Peters has to deal with a brain-addled Al Capone, the Marx Brothers, a bad cold and being wanted by both the Chicago Mob and the Chicago PD. Brief appearances by other historical luminaries, including a Brit by the name of Ian Fleming and a certain Doctor Hackenbush.

Fun, exciting adventure and mystery.

I always find that Kaminsky manages to bring me right in to the time. I've noticed at least one reviewer complain about references to products and places and such, but I have found them to be the perfect amount to really create the feel, for me.

Interesting period (40s) detective story with our PI attempting to rescue Chico Marx from a debt. Interesting writing, fun, and a relatively solid plot.

Love all the Toby Peters series of books!! This one has the Marx Brothers and Ian Flemming making guest appearances. Since most of it is in Chicago, we do not meet our usual cast of characters, but still a fun story.

Still fun but not as good as the last one.