Aloysius Archer Books In Order

Publication Order of Aloysius Archer Books

Aloysius Archer is the main character in a historical fiction book series by David Baldacci. He is a quick-tongued, retired veteran and a private investigator solving homicide cases post-Second World War. In One Good Deed, we first encounter Archer as he’s getting out of prison for a crime he never committed.

One Good Deed

One Good Deed is the first book in the Archer series by David Baldacci. The novel was set in 1949, and we meet Aloysius Archer getting released from prison after serving time for a crime he never committed. But what at first seems like freedom soon takes a dark turn.

Archer boards the first bus and travels to Poca City with nothing but a bag of clothes and some money he had when he was arrested.

The ex-soldier is aware that his prospects for the future are bleak. His parole officer, Ernestine Crabtree, further complicates his not-so-promising future. No loose women and no bar limitations for Archer make life further complex.
According to the parole papers, Archer is instructed to seek meaningful employment. But contrary to the parole papers, Archer ends up in The Cat’s Meow, a local dive bar where he drinks and Hank Pittleman, a famous local banker. But it’s soon revealed that a local man named Lucas Tuttle owes Hank $5000 and hasn’t paid him. Hank explains to Archer that Tuttle put his 1947 Cadillac Series 62 as collateral for the $5000. He pays Archer a hundred dollars to take the Cadillac and confront Tuttle.

Archer finds himself in a moral dilemma on his first night as a freeman. Well, the job isn’t illegal, but it could be illegal to some extent. But again, he needs money, and according to the parole papers, he was technically informed to find work. He doesn’t let this opportunity slip past him and heads off to meet Tuttle.

Despite Archer being welcomed with a gun at the entrance, Tuttle ultimately invites Archer inside, and they debate the subject. Tuttle makes no excuses for owing Hank the money, but when questioned why he won’t just pay it back, he explains that Pittleman stole something from him that is far more valuable than $5,000 or a Cadillac. Archer is shocked by the unexpected course of events, and when someone ends up dead due to his poking around, it dawns on him that a single misstep could send him back to prison or, even worse, to a shallow grave.

David Baldacci does a fantastic job of creating a well-woven and high-quality story. Publishing two books in a year without losing quality is hard, but publishing a third book in a year seems impossible, and that’s what Baldacci does. The author connects his characters, plot and story style beautifully. His stories are smooth and fluid, without disruptions or hiccups in the flow. Additionally, his descriptive language focuses on moving the story forward with lows and highs in action and sequences.
Baldacci is an author who profoundly knows his characters and shares them with us on a deeper level. As Archer investigates through clues and obstacles that come his way, valuable information is revealed along the way. Overall, “One Good Deed” is a fascinating trip back in time to a period when everything was different, and the United States was healing and rebuilding after World War II. It’s a refreshing shift since Baldacci captures every aspect of 1949, from how the world appeared to how people talked, lending reality and realism to the plot.

A Gambling Man

In the second book in the series, Archer is approached by an older man named Bobby H. He requests Archer to be his bodyguard for the night, but our man turns down the offer and heads back to his tiny motel room
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And since Archer’s been finding it hard to get a decent sleep, he decides to take a walk around for sightseeing. He ends up at the Dancing Birds Café and finds himself sitting next to the owner, who hires him to watch his best showgirl and informs him to stop by the casino.

At the casino, Archer meets the showgirl, Liberty, and the two have some luck at the roulette wheel and the craps table. He decides to share some of his winnings with the girl; they head out only to encounter a man getting beat down by a group of goons. It turns out the man is Bobby H, who confesses his large gambling debt. They work out a deal, Bobby gets Archer’s winning, and Archer gets to keep Bobby’s car. A perfect opportunity to skip the bus and drive to California with his newly found girl with an interest in acting.

As expected, things take a twisted turn as Bobby H ends up dead and Archer with his girl find themselves accosted by the same guys who killed the elderly man. Archer and the girl manage to escape and escape all the way to California, where the girl gets hired at a local showplace while Archer pays a visit to Dash’s office.

Dash is a retired FBI agent, and it doesn’t take long as Archer finds himself hired in an assignment that soon turns out to be a deadly game. The body count starts and rapidly increases in a twisted and chilling manner. Archer and Dash work great together and could be way over their heads when they begin to poke the plot that will keep the small town on the map for not-so-good reasons.

Baldacci has built a fantastic anti-hero. He is a WWII veteran who is strong, tall, beautiful, and quick in mind and fist. Archer continually jeopardizes his life to demonstrate his detective instincts, creating a great deal of tension. His investigation takes him from the affluent hills above Bay Town to the sordid Midnight Mood, as well as all across the California coast, in order to unearth the perilous enterprises and individuals that link the homicides. If you enjoy reading historical fiction books, then you will Aloysius Archer series by David Baldacci is a highly recommended read.

One Response to “Aloysius Archer”

1. Tony Gallagher: 4 months ago

   Wow, great series, I have read book 1 One Good Deed & book 2 Gambling Man and looking for Dream Town do down load it.

   I like the surname first name as in Reacher series, however to my way of thinking the two protagonists are worlds apart.

   Archer is almost clumsy around women, yet his ability to think through the case and find the small cracks that lead to a new and better understanding of the case is his way and in his own time, yes he’s a great Shamus.

   Cheers Tony G

   Reply