Spencer’s Risk by Andy Greenhalgh – Reviewed by Guy Portman
Spencer Leyton’s life is spiralling downhill. He has split from his wife, is virtually estranged from his kids, his career is in tatters, and he has a serious gambling problem. The irresponsible drama lecturer’s dire situation deteriorates further when he accepts a friend’s invitation to a high-stakes poker game. Our drunken and reckless protagonist’s ensuing catastrophic performance leaves him with a substantial debt to the wrong people. Can he redeem himself?
Spencer’s Risk is a third person, thespian-themed work that offers an authentic insight into the mind of a compulsive gambler. Its dark humour and explanation of the nuances of poker and horse racing betting strategies appealed to this reader. However, there is not enough in the way of a storyline to justify what is an increasingly meandering and turgid text.
