Jimmie Collins is a man in the know. Thanks to his not so legal activities, he has a black book full of connections. He also has good reasons for running with the wrong crowd. His wife has MS and his daughter is mentally disabled. With all of the medicals bills and the cost of living, a legitimate income just won't do.

Jimmie has a secret. He's dying. Jimmie is a family man and wants to make all the necessary arrangements to make sure his wife and child are properly taken care of. When Jimmie's makeshift family of bar patrons and thugs finds out that Jimmie's fortune has been stolen, they set off to find the person responsible and make him pay.

This book is amazing. My heart went out to Jimmie within the first couple of chapters. He's a man who the law would say is a felon but who truly has a big heart and only wants the best for the people he loves. I think you should read this book. ( )

Nathan Melton is an ex-football player, turned internet start-up manager. He's moved to the Big Apple to start an internet based company and has no personal social network. One night Nathan stops by an ATM to refill his dwindling cash supply when he's mugged at knife point. Two cops who had been on stakeout nearby hoping this mugger would show up, 'rescue' Nathan after a little mix-up. After sending the perp to booking the 2 cops bring Nathan to 'Jimmies' for a drink and to show no hard feelings. This is where his New York social circle comes into being. Nathan and Jimmie become friends and we follow both as they perpetually get into 'situations' and back out again. Ultimately, Jimmie leaves a legacy to take care of his daughter who is severely mentally handicapped, and his wife who is in the latter stages of MS, and the legacy disappears. Jimmie's friends find out about the missing money and more hi jinks ensue as they attempt to discover the thief and return the loot.

This was an excellent book and I fully enjoyed it from beginning to end. Last Call was classified as a mystery, but since the 'mystery' that needed solving was revealed in the opening chapter to the reader, the only mystery was 'when do we get there?' The book is funny and entertaining and you always wonder what's coming next. Some things are telegraphed fairly blatantly to keep you wondering not 'if' but 'when' it's going to happen. We meet Jimmie and the group through Nathan, a recent transplant to 'The City' (New York for the rest of us) and watch how their friendships grow. ( )