Charlie Gamble is a scam artist, but he does have his loyalties, among them Rosy Marlette and the principle of helping a friend in need. Rosy is caught in an art swindle masterminded by B. Ansley Sams, a former Wall Street inside trader and ex-con. Sams has only one asset: a slow-witted but very mean enforcer. Brakebill is his name and he is meaner than Hitler's priest, so they say. When Charlie goes up against Sams and Brakebill, it's an alley-cat fight to the finish, with Rosy and survival the two prizes.