Dermot Sparhawk, a recovering alcoholic and former Boston college football hero, is back in the game of life. Dermot presently works in a parish food pantry in the Charlestown area of Boston. He has grown up in the projects and has learned how to survive there. One night, his godfather staggers into the pantry with a knife stuck in his back and dies at Dermot's feet. However, Jeepster Hennessey manages to get a few words out of his mouth before he succumbs.

Now there are IRA connected men showing up at Dermot's door either just asking about or beating him up to find out what his godfather told him and what he might have given Dermot before he died. Dermot is not sharing the clues that Jeepster gave him, at least not sharing with the Irish thugs who want to know. Dermot includes his uncle, cousin, and a fellow football player who is now wheelchair bound, in his search as sounding boards for his theories as he doggedly investigates his godfather's murder.

THE CHARLESTOWN CONNECTION is a thoroughly entertaining story. I truly enjoyed the information I gleaned about the ultimate prize that everyone is after and the secret methods that Jeepster used. I am not giving away any of the wonderfully, thrilling secrets in this story. Tom MacDonald has happily entertained this reader and I would like to read another Dermot Sparhawk story. I definitely will be checking lists for future Tom MacDonald stories.