Jack Ryan is a handsome tramp whose interests lie only outside the law. In search of a better life, he goes to Hawaii. There, Jack gets a job at a construction company headed by Ray Ritchie. Ritchie’s business cannot be called completely official, since he builds his property, not paying attention to the constant protests of local residents. It is clear that working for this type can bring nothing but big trouble, especially for such a smart guy like Jack. And soon Ritchie’s right-hand man, Bob, advises him to get off the island as quickly as possible. But Jack doesn't pay any attention to this threat. In addition, northern district judge Walter Kreves appears on the scene, who is interested in Ryan's "professional" services, and Nancy Hayes, an attractive fraudster who is trying to convince Jack to participate in the robbery of Ray Ritchie. Jack is intrigued by these extraordinary proposals, but his intuition tells him that all this may turn out to be an ordinary setup.

The novel was also published under the title “The Big Theft.” It was filmed in 2004.