Dirty 20 - by Bill Schweigart (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The Sopranos meets Dungeons & Dragons when the son of a crime boss accidentally becomes a crowdfunding superstar and disrupts business on the streets with his RPG.

A crime fiction novel that will make you finally get that THACO LIFE abs tattoo. A unique book for fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl and Harlan Coben.

Tommy Fugue never cared for the family business. But when his father--aka Big Al, aka King of the Denver Streets--assigns him the "summer job" of laundering money online, Tommy figures he can list some fake projects on FunFunder, pledge them with zombie accounts, and clean a dirty $20,000 in time for college in the fall.

Unfortunately for Tommy, he's more creative than he thought. Just as he's about to give his father's capos a progress report, he sees that a roleplaying game he mocked up using his mom's old artwork has been funded to the tune of $650,000... and counting.

The only thing scarier than an angry Big Al is a Big Al that smells cash and family bonding time. Voluntold by their mercurial boss to assist, various criminals and killers help playtest and produce Tommy's 1,000 Blades of Tergivers RPG in the hopes they can truly turn a dirty twenty into legit millions.

At first Tommy sees game sessions with brothel owners, hit women, and a street captain with OCD as yet another example of why he needs to get out from under his father. But when Tommy realizes that being game master might help him uncover what these criminals know about his mother's disappearance, it's Game On.

Playing a game while making a game is tricky--especially when elements of the fantasy world keep blending into the players' real lives. And when the streets declare the Family Fugue slipping, Big Al starts playing a new game, with rules only he knows.

Tropes: D&D / Mafia / Nerd culture / TTRPGs / betrayal / LitRPG (lite) / dark comedy / family drama / dungeon crawls / turf war / the Don / imagined worlds

Review Quotes

"A fun, tightly plotted crime novel that blends the best elements of gangster sagas like The Sopranos and Goodfellas with the wild world of roleplaying games and geek culture. Schweigart's knack for fleshed-out characters and knowledge of the ins and outs of the RPG world combine for a unique, memorable read that I couldn't put down."
--Alex Segura, New York Times bestselling author of Secret Identity, Alter Ego, and Enemy of My Enemy: A Daredevil Marvel Crime Novel

"As a game designer and someone who loves tales of organized crime, this book seems almost purpose-written for me. The characters are intriguing and sharply drawn and fill the story with intrigue and danger zested with a delicious dash of high fantasy adventure in the best tabletop way."
--Matt Forbeck, New York Times bestselling author and designer of the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game

"A sharp, funny tale of crime, gaming, and high fantasy. Fans of crime fiction, TTRPGs, and budding romance: Dirty 20 will keep you glued to the page."
--Stephen Schleicher, Major Spoilers

"Dark and brutal, enchanting and immersive, Dirty 20 is a masterfully crafted crime/fantasy novel blend with a cutthroat game of loyalty, betrayal and survival at the center... unlike anything else you've ever read."
--The Best Thriller Books

"As a table-top RPG player for most of my life, this sounded like a fun concept for a novel. Right out of the gate, I was connecting to the main characters. The dialogue was snappy, and the situations grounded. I was instantly pulled into Tommy's world and the dilemmas that rose from his family situation. This is very much a coming of age story with relatable themes. Then there was the melodramatic mob elements, just to spice things up. Of course, the game elements were also something I enjoyed a lot. The way they are presented, with Tommy having to explain the details and mechanics to the non-gamer characters, also teaches any readers who are might be novices as well. This was a very enjoyable read."
--Martin's View

"Dark and entertaining--a terrific summer read."
--Jason Inman, co-host of Geek History Lesson

About the Author

Bill Schweigart is the author of The Guilty One and "Women and Children First," a story co-written with James Patterson in Three Days to Live. He is also the author of The Fatal Folklore Trilogy, which includes The Beast of Barcroft, Northwoods, and The Devil's Colony. He is a former Coast Guard officer who drew from his experiences at sea to write the nautical thriller, Slipping the Cable and the romantic comedy, Running Light. Bill currently lives in Arlington, VA with his family, who along with their monstrous Newfoundland and too many cats, provide him with all the adventure he can handle.