BOOK 1: In the months following World War II, Ray Irish travels from town to town trying to drown the memories of pain and carnage with bottles of whiskey. He is a tramp, and his mode of transportation is the inside of railroad cattle cars. When Irish drifts into Oyster City, a struggling, crime-ridden town nestled along the Chesapeake Bay, a chance encounter in a back alley gives him an unanticipated job as a private detective along with a couple of new suits. Working for the corrupt man he saves, Irish quickly discovers his new home has a polished veneer that barely conceals layers of betrayal and deception. Thugs and masked, robed figures haunt the alleys at night while the city sleeps. Something more ominous lies behind the tranquil image that is projected by the town elders. The grisly murders of a chauffeur and a policeman are only part of a web of odd occurrences involving strange people wearing the masks of tarot card characters. While Irish battles with gangster thugs who have him in their sights, the ex-Seabee follows a chain of unusual events which might lead to a murderer or his death. He will need the luck of the Irish to survive in a city that hates outsiders.
BOOK 2: Brought in to investigate a fiendish killing, which leads to another, the hard-boiled detective tries to sort out the sinister motive. Paintings with eerie depictions of the murders hang near the bodies, and the police believe it's the work of a madman. They also suspect the involvement of his former flame, Samantha Carter. At the same time, Irish stumbles into another case. However, he can't stop the kidnapping of his new client and the loss of an unusual ring. Ray only knows that the mystery behind his missing client points to two wealthy cousins who've hired him to retrieve a ring. The atmosphere around Oyster City grows black with each passing day as Ray discovers his friends have similar uncanny dreams. The tarot cards of the Shadows foreshadow their evil presence as they continue bloody and violent rituals. While the citizens go about their daily lives, little do they understand that a dark period of history is about to return to a terrifying climax.
BOOK 3: When Irish stumbles across Florence Rice who appears ready to commit suicide, he enters a dark conspiracy. Seeking to prove his new client is sane, Ray unleashes a series of increasingly terrible events. Like a bull in a china shop, Irish saves his client from certain death. However, the shamus finds the dark secrets of others leaves him even more cynical about trusting people. While Irish tries to save his neck from the police and hired killers, the tentacles of Andras extends into the city. Blood sacrifices and seemingly random murders put the citizens of Oyster City on edge. As Andras, in the guise of Peter Smyth asserts his control over his pool of demon followers.
BOOK 4: Ray Irish finds himself in trying to keep a state senator's daughter out of the newspapers as his relationship with Orella takes a turn for the worse. Arizona, his new partner, appears more interested in a bottle than trying to stop those who helped kill Cat. On top of the daily turmoil, Andras continues his demonic quest and he's brought forth witches to help his cause. As the events spiral downward, Irish uses a ruse to save those who care for him the most. However, he and his partner are fully exposed to the wrath of a demon and his minions. One deadly encounter after another leads Ray Irish along a torturous path against demonic forces and unexpected saviors in a thrilling climax.
