 |
The story opens on a “moonlit night in July of 1939,” as the gambling ship SS Rex is infiltrated by a small band of robbers. The thieves make a quick getaway only to have their boat go up in flames. The SS Rex was hiding a secret: carried on board was over a million dollars worth of gold from the Sicilian mafia, the loss of which placed a target on the backs of ship’s owner Tony Cornero and mobster Jack Dragna, setting into motion a series of events that would unravel over the next few decades.
The story skips ahead thirty-five years with Kit, a foreign exchange trader and private investigator working for his father, a former bootlegger-turned-cop/detective. He is given a “mission” by his father and his uncle’s lawyer, Albert, to deliver a mysterious envelope and instead stumbles across the decades-old series of murders that ultimately are tied to the events of the SS Rex. The story becomes even more twisted when two newly met friends-of-a-friend are found smack in the middle of the plot. Family secrets come to light, double-crossings heap upon double-crossings, and a simple mission turns into both a treasure hunt and a search for the truth.
With subtle humor and relatable characters, O’Brien’s writing hooks the reader from the prologue, engaging them in a fast-paced drama. His sharp observational skills and keen sense of human nature provide a solid base for the adventure he weaves. A simmering romance provides extra pizzazz to the story, interlacing smoothly with the drama and adventure. O’Brien’s words are beautifully augmented with black-and-white pencil drawings, depicting the more thrilling aspects of the story. In all, this novel is engaging, exciting, and a great pleasure to read.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review