After his grandfather, a gifted but dementia-addled storyteller, passes away, Richard Standish uncovers a hidden life. The narrative flashes back to 1970s Sydney, revealing how the unassuming Jimmy Noble was drawn into the city's criminal underworld. He becomes the confidant and chosen successor to a powerful "gentleman gangster," battling rival mobs circling the syndicate and his own personal demons. Richard must piece together the clues to understand the true legacy his grandfather left behind. In 1998, Richard Standish discovers his long-lost grandfather, Jimmy Noble, is a reclusive storyteller with dementia. After Jimmy's death, Richard learns of his secret success and begins to uncover his mysterious past. The story flashes back to the 1970s, where Jimmy, a failed writer, is discovered for his incredible on-the-fly storytelling by talent agent Roger Courtenay and crime boss Terrence "Paddles" Sanderson. Paddles hires Jimmy to write his life story, as a work of fiction drawing him deep into the Sydney underworld. Jimmy becomes Paddles' trusted confidant and chosen successor, all while navigating a romance with Ruby Mullins. As Paddles' health fails, Jimmy takes a more active role in the syndicate, forging alliances with government agencies and rival Russian mafiosos to secure the syndicate's future. After Paddles' death, Jimmy fully embraces his dual life as an author and crime boss, but the story ends back in 1998, with his grandson Richard receiving a posthumous letter from France, revealing the final, untold chapters of Jimmy's life

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