Positively Fifth Street

Author: James McManus
Published: 2003

The dust jacket promotes it as a true-life tale of murder, drugs, and poker where the author puts up his book advance to play in a Las Vegas Hold'em tournament.

The murder is pretty well explained at the very beginning (along with the drugs). Episodes of the author's tournament play are well distanced by reports of the murder trial, detours into poker lore, and digressions about how his wife doesn't want him gambling.

Had to lay this one down early. Not enough action and I think I'm being slow-played for a fish.