Dice Angel

Brian Rouff

Jimmy Delaney is on another bad roll. His ex-wife is cranky. A homeless guy keeps scaring the hell out of him. Burglars clean out all the coins from the video poker machines at his saloon, Jimmy D's. His accountant is missing - with all the bar's money. He can't get a loan because the IRS has a lien on the joint and a rogue revenue agent with a personal grudge is seizing Jimmy D's on Friday unless Delaney can come up with $50,000 in back taxes. Losing streaks in Las Vegas can be the worst in the world.

And then a mysterious woman enters his life. A karma-spouting planet-charting colon-cleansing floozy - the Dice Angel. Can Delaney save Jimmy D's with a supernaturally hot hand at the crap tables at Luxor? Or does Lady Luck bite off, chew up, and spit out another Las Vegas loser?

Review by Denise M. Clark (011102) Rating (8/10)

Review by Denise M. Clark
Jimmy Delaney, aka Jimmy D, is a saloon owner in Las Vegas, a normal guy just trying to get ahead in life and make a few extra bucks while he's at it. Only thing is, he's got a difficult ex-wife, his accountant has pulled a vanishing act, with his money, and a rogue IRS agent has set his sights not only on Jimmy, but his beloved saloon. If Jimmy doesn't come up with $50 grand in back taxes within two weeks, he'll lose everything.

But that's where lady Luck comes in, disguised as a quirky, out-of-this-world bit of karma spouting bit of fluff named, 'Amaris'… the Dice Angel. Desperate to win enough money at the craps tables to pay off the IRS, Jimmy hires Amaris for, as her business card says, "bringing him good luck". What has he got to lose? And before it's all over, Jimmy Delaney makes a startling discovery, not only about himself, but also about what truly matters in life.

'Dice Angel' is, quite simply put, a gem. Author Brian Rouff has created an endearing, witty, and hilariously sarcastic look at Las Vegas and its idiosyncrasies. Beyond that, his polished combination of fast paced narrative, odd ball characters and delightful dialog unite to form an intensely satisfying read that lingers long after the last page is turned. This one is a true treat for the senses, one that leaves you grinning like an idiot, and happily so.
Denise M. Clark (1st November 2002)