Alabama, 1937. Bootlegging was Milton and Yvonne Hamilton's ticket out of poverty, prison time, and plain bad luck. Now they've moved on--to a bigger, richer pool of clientele--right in their own respectable new middle-class backyard. And their growing friendship with seemingly-perfect couple Joyce and Odell Watson is proving golden in more ways than one. As Milton soon learns, Odell is hiding an outside family and dubious business dealings. It's the perfect recipe for a blackmail scheme that will help Milton hide his own dirty secrets--even from Yvonne. Better yet, he can take ever more dangerous risks to ace out his liquor-smuggling rivals--and add a lucrative temptation to his illicit services. And Yvonne, emboldened by her husband's new gravy train, delights in tormenting Joyce about everything the snobbish matron doesn't have--especially children. But even a winning hand can be played too far. Pushed past their limits, Odell and Joyce will play on Milton's careless boasting--to get him and Yvonne out of their lives for good. And soon, a devastating frame-up will plunge one couple into a living nightmare--and set the stage for explosive retribution.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.