Jackie Chance, Death on the Flop

Death on the Flop

Jackie Chance

Berkley, January 2007, $6.99, 256 pp.

ISBN: 042521348Cx

Belinda Cooley is having a hard time of it ever since she saw her fianc with another woman on his desk. The forty year old Belinda also lost her job because her fianc e was her boss, and she had too much pride to be taking orders from him. Her twin brother Ben sweeps her off to Las Vegas so he can compete in Texas Hold 'Em poker.

His goal is to beat the pro Steely Stan, who he believes gives poker a bad name. When they finally arrive at the tournament, Ben leaves Belinda. She gets tired of waiting for him and walks down the stairs when she overhears a threat between two men, one of whom she later learns is in charge of the tournament security. When she gets back to her room, she finds all her stuff and Ben's tossed everywhere. She goes to Frank's room, a security expert who she met, and tells him that she thinks her brother was kidnapped. He decides to help her, while she takes her brother's place in the tournament hoping to find out how Stan and the police officer know each other, and if they had anything to do with Ben's disappearance.

Although there is too much detail given to the ins and out at Texas Hold 'Em for the novice to follow, readers will thoroughly enjoy the heroine's efforts to find her brother, learn to play poker and deal with her attraction to Frank, whom she believes is more than a security expert. Jackie Chance has written a high octane mystery that captures the frantic activity that personifies Las Vegas. Readers will find DEATH ON THE FLOP a full house.