R.J. Kinch blends literary genres and the history of the period to tell a fast-paced, action filled story of the maturation of an Irish Catholic during a tumultuous time in American History. Confronted with tough choices and moral dilemmas, Joe O'Mara must form unexpected alliances and overcome his compulsions to survive on the mean streets of Newark, New Jersey, a city sharply divided by race, religion, and ethnicity.
The prologue sets the tone for the entire story. Right after leaving the Irish Wake of their mother in 1934, Joe reveals to his brother John, a priest that, "I've got some things that I need to get off my chest, and I want you to hear my confession." The relatable characters and unforeseen plot twists will captivate the reader until the very end of the book, when the full extent of Joe's confession is unveiled.
After introducing the family and how his parents met, the action shifts to Joe as teenager. Unlike his brothers, Joe is a bit of a "bad boy" who eventually settles down to work as a car mechanic. Forced to flee the area to enlist in the US Army before he turned eighteen, Joe is involved in a series of adventures which correspond closely to the historical events of the US invasion of Mexico to apprehend Pancho Villa. During this time, he actually rubs elbows with then Lieutenant George Patton.
While on leave in his hometown, he finds the love of his life, but is compelled to return to Texas to complete his service. The Houston Riot of 1917, when African American soldiers were court-martialed and hung, profoundly changes Joe and he becomes disillusioned with being a soldier.
After his tour is up right after the Armistice of 1918, Joe returns home and marries the girl he loves. Joe's decision to follow in his father's footsteps in law enforcement puts his moral code to the test in a series of episodes which highlight prejudice and the inequities of the legal system of the period. These experiences take the reader through the era of Prohibition and into the Great Depression, when a Nazi-backed organization attempts to gain a foothold in the city.
