Review by dragonflypdx -- Heat in the Vegas Night
1 posts
[Following is a volunteer review of "Heat in the Vegas Night" by Jerry Reedy.]
Jerry Reedy’s Heat in the Vegas Night had particular appeal to me because I lived in Las Vegas for 18 years, and was involved in criminal defense work, including cases involving blackjack cheating. This story spans five years in the early 1980s during which a modern-day band of thieves manages, through wit, guile, and downright courage, to relieve casinos in Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Laughlin of tens of thousands of dollars. I doubt if the “gaff” used by Steve Kammeyer (“The Boss”), Jerry Reedy (“Red”), and their colorful team is still in the cheaters’ playbook, given the improvements in surveillance, and technology since then.
No card counting here. It’s more like smoke and mirrors, or should I say an exceptional mirror. Anyone who has ever been to a casino and been too scared to walk up to a blackjack table and play will get an adrenaline rush just thinking about these guys playing, cheating, and winning at the tables, while always on the lookout for the “heat” (pit bosses, hotel security, the Nevada Gaming Commission, and the police).
Jerry Reedy does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the fold with his play-by-play at the blackjack tables and the relationships that develop between the team members. Their sense of loyalty to The Boss and their teammates was key to their success. The story is an exciting game of cat and mouse, with the players moving from casino to casino and city to city in Nevada. There is a sense of tension throughout the book, which makes it hard to put down. We have all seen lots of television shows and movies about schemes to get the best of casinos. Where there is money everywhere, and the house holds the advantage, anyone can muster a bit of envy for and cheer on the people who can make it happen in real life.
Of course, no plan is perfect, resulting in plenty of exciting foot chases, getaway cars, and calls to their lawyers. The author provides useful background information about how gambling got started in Las Vegas and enough detail about the game of blackjack for the reader to understand the game, even if they have never played. There is also a helpful Glossary of Terms at the end of the book.
Heat in the Vegas Night is an exciting read. I did notice several editing errors, and for that reason, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.
******
Heat in the Vegas Night
View: on Bookshelves |
Jerry Reedy’s Heat in the Vegas Night had particular appeal to me because I lived in Las Vegas for 18 years, and was involved in criminal defense work, including cases involving blackjack cheating. This story spans five years in the early 1980s during which a modern-day band of thieves manages, through wit, guile, and downright courage, to relieve casinos in Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Laughlin of tens of thousands of dollars. I doubt if the “gaff” used by Steve Kammeyer (“The Boss”), Jerry Reedy (“Red”), and their colorful team is still in the cheaters’ playbook, given the improvements in surveillance, and technology since then.
No card counting here. It’s more like smoke and mirrors, or should I say an exceptional mirror. Anyone who has ever been to a casino and been too scared to walk up to a blackjack table and play will get an adrenaline rush just thinking about these guys playing, cheating, and winning at the tables, while always on the lookout for the “heat” (pit bosses, hotel security, the Nevada Gaming Commission, and the police).
Jerry Reedy does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the fold with his play-by-play at the blackjack tables and the relationships that develop between the team members. Their sense of loyalty to The Boss and their teammates was key to their success. The story is an exciting game of cat and mouse, with the players moving from casino to casino and city to city in Nevada. There is a sense of tension throughout the book, which makes it hard to put down. We have all seen lots of television shows and movies about schemes to get the best of casinos. Where there is money everywhere, and the house holds the advantage, anyone can muster a bit of envy for and cheer on the people who can make it happen in real life.
Of course, no plan is perfect, resulting in plenty of exciting foot chases, getaway cars, and calls to their lawyers. The author provides useful background information about how gambling got started in Las Vegas and enough detail about the game of blackjack for the reader to understand the game, even if they have never played. There is also a helpful Glossary of Terms at the end of the book.
Heat in the Vegas Night is an exciting read. I did notice several editing errors, and for that reason, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.
******
Heat in the Vegas Night
View: on Bookshelves |
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