Tess Hudson Double Down

Double Down

Tess Hudson

Having learned to double down before she knew her times table, Skye McNally grew up in a bookie's household as her father was and still is one of New York's leading bet takers. Skye resides in Vegas where she tries go straight (not a poker hand) by joining Gambler's Anonymous. However, the casino siren calls for her so she falls off the wagon until she decides to flee into the nearby Nevada desert where no cards, dice, wheels, or slots can tempt her.

In the seemingly middle of nowhere trying to detox off of gambling, Skye meets New York Mustangs superstar quarterback Mark Shannon who vanished recently. The duo share a royal straight flush and fall in love, but his handlers have a million dollar item in the Big Apple's Golden Boy and they will never allow a bookie's tainted daughter to devastate that image.

DOUBLE DOWN is an interesting look at gambling addiction starring a likable female protagonist. Skye drives the intriguing story line with her need to wager seemingly part of her DNA make-up although some of it is obviously caused by nurturing. Her need will remind readers of Altman's California Split with the two compulsive gamblers never satiated even with the big score. Once her addictive personality decides to bet that Mark is her sure thing big score, no one will stop her pursuit of him except if he punts her out of his life as his advisors insist he must.

Harriet Klausner