This Novel is based on an incident that the author's father told him about when he was a teenager. It seems the father had a close friend who lived across the street from a fellow who bore a very close resemblance to the infamous bank robber John Herbert Dillinger. He had been arrested several times and roughed up by the St Paul police department dragged down to the police station and eventually let go when finger prints didn't match. There were many men who looked like Dillinger who were also arrested by mistake across the USA. This is a fictional story about one of them. But if you study up on the Dillinger story you will find that this story could be factual in many ways. Bobby Ryan and Jimmy Lorenski are best friends who work together and hang around together mostly at the Nickel Joint, a neighborhood bar. After a death in Bobbies' family they find themselves out of work. The times are tough these days and Bobby thinks of a scheme that could maybe make them rich. Seems the bartenders and other patrons are teasing Jimmy because he looks just like the picture in the paper of the infamous bank robber John Dillinger. They keep teasing and calling him the DOPPELGANGSTER! It is Bobby's idea that they go south around the Chicago area, rob a bank and Dillinger will get the blame. Bobby finally gets Jim to go along with the plan and the bank robbery happens and it works. They end up staying with Jimmy's friends on Halsted Street where Bobby is smitten with the beautiful Irene. Only problem is she is married to Joey Carter a vicious little thug who is due to get out of prison in a month or so. This novel has it all. Daring, action, a love triangle, revenge and a cover up by the FBI.
