In the case of The American Murders, Dan is called to the States to help solve two murders in the Tampa - St. Petersburg area of Florida, but before he even takes off from Dublin, another request takes him into Cleveland, Ohio where a bank vice president and a low level bookie are both presumed dead.

All of the murders stem from post-Capone connections when bootlegging and racketeering openly controlled U.S. cities. This story picks up in 1961 when gangs and protection still poisoned American cities, but the giants of the past and their mafia partnerships have splintered, moved underground, and corrupted the operations of local governments and businesses.

Once again, the persistent Irish sleuth pulls the missing pieces together and uncovers the strange connections that exist among all the murder victims.