This spell binding mystery suspense thriller begins with a nightmare. A jazz pianist's worst nightmare, Johnny Fingers was attacked and his fingers were smashed by a gang of street ruffians at the age of fifteen in the summer of 1913 in the Bowery. 23 years later in the summer of 1936, he wakes up from the recurring nightmare that has plagued him since the attack took place. He has struggled to make a come back as a pianist aided by his wife Fe, but troubles abound in his life and the great depression has Manhattan and the rest of the country in its grips. The pawn shop Johnny runs with his wife Fe is failing. His wife is threatening to leave him because they are terrorized by threats from local gangsters who want to turn his pawn shop into a front for fencing stolen goods and loan sharking.If that wasn't trouble enough, Johnny is summoned to meet with Tommy Cronin, the aging leader of one of the most fierce and notorious Irish gangs in the city. Tommy's grandson, Frank Cronin has disappeared. As a jazz pianist, band leader and actor, he has run out in the middle of the production of a movie in Hollywood. Frank Cronin and Johnny Fingers had a long past association as friends and musical partners. Tommy and his son Angus task Johnny with the job of finding Frank. As far as they know, according to Angus, Frank is rumored to have returned to New York City to visit his black daughter, Josie, a product of his relationship with her mother Esba Kittridge, a black jazz singer. Johnny is told about other rumors that Esba's father, Teddy Kittridge has threatened to kill Frank if he shows up in Harlem to see Josie.Before the meeting ends, Tommy takes Johnny aside and demands that Johnny end the feud with his old friend Frank as a dying man's wish. He also reveals a long held secret that Frank may have had some involvement the brutal attack on Johnny that ended his career as a ragtime pianist. Johnny leaves the meeting angry but confused. It was Frank who found him in the cellar after the attack and carried him to a hospital and it was Frank and his family who took care of him during his long recovery.During a visit with his musician friends to a Harlem jazz club owned by Teddy Kittridge, Frank Cronin comes crashing back into Johnny's life. Johnny Fingers is beset with suspicions and fear of his old friend whom he has determined is a psychopath who is capable of committing mayhem and murder with the least amount of guilt. Despite his fears, Johnny is determined to risk it all to uncover the truth from Frank about what really took place 23 years ago during the attack. This leads to a suspenseful and terror filled confrontation between Johnny and Frank while out sailing on a sloop off the Maine coast. Johnny uncovers more truth than he bargained for, hearing frank's hinted revelations of a brutal knife attack on Esba's father Teddy before they left for Maine. But the most startling revelation comes about the day of the attack when Johnny had his fingers smashed. You'll have to purchase and read the book to find out what happens next.