Grand Central Publishing, 448 pages, $29 The adventures of war veteran Aloysius Archer resume in “A Gambling Man,” the second in a post WW II-era series by best-selling thriller author David Baldacci. After serving time for a crime of which he was innocent, Archer (he prefers to use his last name) heads out West for a fresh start as private detective-in-training. “But first, he had to get there. And these days, nothing is easy, particularly long-distance travel across a country that was so big it never seemed to end.” A stop in Reno (“The Biggest Little City In The World”) proves eventful with Archer acquiring a classic automobile, a bundle of dough and a gorgeous traveling companion. Once in California, he hooks up with legendary PI Willie Dash and is soon involved in a political scandal/blackmail case that allows him to quickly hone his detective skills. The bodies pile up as Archer and Dash peel away the investigative layers that involve some bad cops and greed at the highest levels.