In the summer of 1985, the anonymous author of this book met a man with a colorful history of criminal escapades and an incredible tale to tell about the biggest one of all - a tale that is finally seeing the light of day half a century after it happened. International smugglers, the IRA, Italian mobsters, and cold-blooded Nazis all play a part in this exciting saga of robbery and revenge that is also, ultimately, about friendship and love. On the hunt for a painting stolen during the war from a young Jewish woman's murdered family, an experienced thief finds much more than he expected . . . and a young man on vacation with friends at the Jersey Shore ends up indelibly impacted by events and characters he could never have imagined.