Young Matthew's first visit to the Mayfair bridge club in New York is made to try to rescue his schoolfriend Stanley. Once there, though, he becomes fascinated by the idea of money bridge, and how different the game is from the one he knows. His education in both bridge and life skills proceeds at the hands of the beautiful and dangerous Chops, the odious 'Pizza' McCarver, Otto the mad Hungarian, and the other singular denizens of the Mayfair. Before long, there is a mysterious accident at the club, and as the tensions among the players stretch to breaking point, a second tragedy seems almost inevitable. But this time, Matthew himself is the prime suspect. Can Matthew solve the mystery and clear his name? And just as important, can he gain some credibility at the bridge table and survive amongst the card sharks at the Mayfair Club?"--Back cover