Wild Cards

An “exhilarating, wildly entertaining” memoir of a midlife adventure in Vegas accompanied by a card counter and a priest, by an Edgar Award finalist (Lee Goldberg, New York Times-bestselling author of the Adrian Monk mysteries). Philip Reed is coasting toward retirement, looking for one last adventure, when he meets Bill Palis, a professional blackjack player and former member of the legendary MIT team that took the casinos for millions. At a table in a strip casino, Phil sees Bill win $1,600 in twenty minutes of play—and he’s intrigued. Initially, he plans to stay a spectator, but Bill encourages him to overcome his fears, learn to count cards, and get a piece of the action for himself. The men form a friendship and begin traveling and playing blackjack together, often with Father Andy, who kicks in money so they can play out of a $30,000 bankroll. Phil, who has adult ADD and flunked high school math, adopts the challenge as a way to boost his self-doubt and build new synapses in his aging brain. With Bill as his tough mentor, Phil struggles to learn the game and secretly track the cards. As his play improves, Bill teaches him to disguise his wins and avoid scrutiny from casino security and the Orwellian “eye-in-the-sky” security cameras. Interwoven with these adventures are short, funny, informational sections on subjects including card counting systems, the danger of gambling addiction, interviews with memory experts, and secrets of dealers, pit bosses, and casino surveillance specialists. Throughout, Reed takes a humorous look at casino characters—even as he begins to sink into the gambling world himself. Praise for the work of Philip Reed: “Fast and funny.” —Kirkus Reviews “A rollicking bumper-car ride.” —Publishers Weekly “His books [are] such fun.” —The New York Times Book Review