The Gambler's Game - by James Darnborough (Paperback)

About the Book

Fast-paced and well received Biographical Historical Fiction novel based on the true story of the only American to break the bank at Monte Carlo, playing roulette.

Book Synopsis

★★★★★ "I, for one, found myself absolutely captivated by the author's flair for the descriptive ..." - Reader's Favorite

★★★★★ "Right off the bat (pun intended), Bill's aspirations strike a chord with the vagabonds within us all. It connects with those internal parts of ourselves aching for something new, something inspiring, something completely foreign, so far flung from our places of comfort, packaged into a life-altering adventure that confronts the stagnant qualities of the status quo." -Nerdication

"Darnborough brings his grandfather's extraordinary story to life." - Frances Osborne, author of The Bolter, A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year

Winner, Pencraft Award for Literary Excellence - Historical Fiction, Spring 2024

As featured in the movie Downton Abbey: A New Era (Carnival Films, 2022)

In the twilight of the 19th century, as the Old West collides with the opulence of the Gilded Age, one man embarks on a journey that will redefine his life. The Gambler's Game is a captivating historical fiction saga that follows the extraordinary life of a mid-western baseball player turned high-stakes gambler. His audacious spirit leads him from the dust chocked plains to the refined ambiance of English garden parties and the allure of Belle Epoque Monte Carlo. This romantic and fast-paced tale will transport you to a time when anything was possible, where dreams were chased, and risks were taken.

This is a story of self-discovery in a rapidly changing world. The Gambler's Game lures readers into a realm where the echoes of gunshots meet the clinking of champagne glasses, and the magnificent network of railways and steamships takes the reader on grand adventures. Bill ultimately finds himself torn between his love of gambling and a woman who might make him give it all up.

Review Quotes

I HAD DIFFICULTY PUTTING THIS BOOK DOWN! "This historical novel is extremely well-written, well-researched, and interesting. It's a voyage from middle America during a time when the country was young and developing, to Europe, and then to the high society lives of people in Monte Carlo, the elite with pedigrees and famous names such as Rothschild and Vanderbilt. - Wanda Adams Fischer, Reedsy.

"I, for one, found myself absolutely captivated by the author's flair for the descriptive ..." - Reader's Favorite

"Darnborough brings his grandfather's extraordinary story to life." - Frances Osborne, author of The Bolter