THE DEVIL'S TICKETS : A NIGHT OF BRIDGE, A FATAL HAND, AND A NEW AMERICAN AGE
by Gary M. Pomerantz

Contract bridge was a huge craze during the 1920s in America. Four people sat together at a small table, composed mainly of couples, spending hours with their partners hoping to score the greatest number of points to win the game.
Ely Culbertson was the perfect man (in his eyes) to promote bridge and built a phenomenal empire. He wrote books, lectured and was even on the radio. His favorite partner was his own wife, Josephine. Culbertson knew that, sometimes, the relationship between husbands and wives would be stretched or explode due to miscommunication.
Myrtle and Jack Bennett sat down one night, in 1929, to play bridge with another married couple. Passions became inflamed. Myrtle called Jack a "bum bridge player," he slapped her across her face in front of their friends and started to walk out the door. Within seconds, Jack was shot by Myrtle with his pistol and that was the end of him.
The Devil's Tickets is a mesmerizing tale. There are two parallel stories going on at the same time. The author does a terrific job in introducing each character and effortlessly weaves everything together.
If you want to know how to play contract bridge, you can find it at the end of the book along with a glossary.
It's written extremely well and is just a delight to read.
Recommended.