He unfolded a pair of bifocals and thrust them as far up the bridge of his nose as possible.

He did? That's a wow!

Many unfortunate suckers, finding themselves losers, even in an honest game, became obstreperous, and the services of the bouncer, or even of a resident gunhand, might be required to pacify them, after which the complainant would be hauled to the crowbar hotel to recover enough of his equanimity to appear peacefully before a justice of the peace.

Publishers and booksellers know only too well that a title can make all the difference to the sales of a book […]