Long a staple of film and television, Boston Blackie began life as a series of short stories. These were combined into this book. Who is Boston Blackie? Here is a portion of what the dust jacket says: "Honor among thieves? Could you crack a safe and meet your wife, waiting for you around the corner in your modest little roadster and go dashing off for home, worried only about who the Cubs were going to pitch tomorrow? Do you think you could do this for a lifetime and be happy, knowing not what moment the big, red hand of the law was going to reach down and grab you?"