Nine To Noon Book review: The Gambler by J. P. Pomare
Mar 29, 2026
Gail Pitaway, a book reviewer with a fresh PhD in creative writing, discusses J.P. Pomare's crime novel The Gambler. She outlines the ordinary but complex PI Vincent Reid. Short sentences cover the shooting at a gun-control rally, a shocked community, tangled relationships, links to an Amish shooting, and Pomare's sharp plotting and elegant prose.
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Ordinary Detective Beats the Troubled Antihero
- J.P. Pomare's PI Vincent Reid is notable for his ordinariness rather than the usual damaged antihero traits.
- Gail Pitaway says Reid's unremarkable nature lets him blend in and observe, making him a thoroughly likeable and effective narrator.
Whistleblower Past Shapes Reid's Life
- Vincent Reid is a former police officer drummed out for whistleblowing after filming police brutality and sharing it with a journalist.
- Gail explains this backstory gives depth and explains his move to Chicago and strained relationship with the force.
A Seemingly Simple Rally Murder Unravels
- The novel opens with Reid investigating a political anti-gun rally murder that seems simple but unravels into deeper mysteries.
- Gail notes the shooter was a respected woman and the boyfriend shooter disappeared, creating a complex, layered case.
