This tale by Jason Starr bring us a sweet-natured young man working as a bar bouncer while trying to find gigs as an actor whose gambling addiction brings him to the depths. The owner of the bar where Tommy Russo works treats him like a son. He meets a nice girl. An actress friend wants to team up with him on a stage project.

Things are going pretty good....

But then one day at the track he meets an old acquaintance who makes him an offer. If he can come up with $10,000 he can buy a share in a racehorse. The more Tommy thinks about this, the more obsessed he becomes. He starts daydreaming of becoming rich off racing stakes. But where can he get $10,000?

Thus begins Tommy's descent, and we're with him the whole way down. He rationalizes. He promises himself he'll make good. He lies. And lies. And lies. He fakes people out (he's an actor, remember). There's a safe heist. And then a murder.

It's like watching a car wreck. You're practically shouting at the pages, "Don't do it, Tommy."

But Tommy's not paying attention.