On assignment for a major magazine, McManus traveled to Las Vegas, where he made it to the final table of the World Series of Poker, winning 5th place against Hall of Famer T.J. Cloutier (whose book he credits for his success) and 2000 world Chris Ferguson. He weaves together his World Series adventure, the murder trial of Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish, accused in the murder of Ted Binion, the world of high-stakes poker and the underbelly of the Las Vegas gambling scene in this NY Times best seller. 436 Pgs. 2004 Hardcover