Synopsis

When Hammer’s favored judge, the one who often presided over cases with a lenient hand, unexpectedly dismissed charges against a prominent local mobster, Hammer began his own inquiry. The judge was discovered murdered, the sole clue a cryptic reference to a disreputable pool hall. Hammer, adopting the persona of a skilled pool player, infiltrated the establishment, determined to expose the racketeer who had been systematically blackmailing the city's officials.