The book describes New Year's Eve in New York City. Actor James Zoole's best friend is dead. His cat is sick. The broadway role he just landed has been snatched away. He has been robbed twice since September. Among the stolen items is his 212-page book manuscript, and he has no copy. Now, he enters his isolated loft apartment to find his girlfriend, Kate, packing to leave with another man. When she's gone, he finds the repeat theif under his bed. Infuriated, he knocks him out and ties him up.
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For the next several hours, he and the thief, Vito, exchange provocations and vie for domination. Vito gleefully tells him his cat is dead. Jimmy humiliates him by slicing off his pants. Vito tells Kate, when she pops in to see if Jimmy's okay, that he is Jimmy's lover. Amused but resentful, Jimmy phones Carmine, a man into kinky gay sex, and invites him over to play with Vito. While they wait, Vito feigns bravado. He rambles about his daughter, his criminal history, his cooking skills, and his relationship with a successful male author. He expresses regret for stealing Jimmy's manuscript, now that he knows what it meant to him. But then, he also admits to being a chronic liar.
Despite his wariness, Jimmy feels a connection forming. Vito reminds him of his cat - a scruffy stray outlaw, surviving on his wits. Both are laughing hysterically by the time the forgotten Carmine shows up with two buddies, costumed for kinky action. Unwilling to believe Jimmy was joking, they tie him up. Vito gets himself untied by promising the trio hashish, then drives them out with his (unloaded) gun. What will Vito do with his regained power?
Disempowered, Jimmy has an epiphany. He is tired of his life being at the mercy of others' whims. To his amazement, Vito lets him go, and respects his wish to be alone. In the days that follow, he discards his acting career in favour of his passion for writing; refuses to let the repentant Kate call the shots; refuses to pay court to his overbearing wealthy aunt. Just when he's feeling thoroughly revitalized, Vito breaks in through his skylight AGAIN. What now?
The review of this Book prepared by vjm
