Though ragtime music spread across America, its central hub was Missouri. There’s an annual Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia, Missouri, because Joplin lived and taught there for a while (in addition to living in St. Louis, Missouri).

It's a summer day in New Rochelle, New York, in the early 1900s. An upper-middle class family —Father, Mother, Grandfather, and Little Boy—are hanging out in a home Father built back in 1902. Mother's Younger Brother walks on the beach, head over heels for a famous model named Evelyn Nesbit, whose husband just shot her former lover, the architect Stanford White. Yikes, juicy gossip. We might think twice about dating a lady with a homicidal husband, though Little Boy watches a chauffeured car approach the house and then crash into telephone pole. Out steps the famous escape artist,. He visits with the family and does some tricks.

Then he heads off, but not before he's told by the Little Boy to 'warn the Duke.' Whoa, what's that supposed to mean? You'll find out.

Plot Overview The novel opens in the year 1902, in the town of New Rochelle, New York, at the house of an upper class family comprised of Mother, Father, and the little boy. Mother's Younger Brother falls in love with the famous beauty Evelyn Nesbit, whose husband Harry Thaw has recently been charged with the murder of her ex- husband, architect Stanford White. Harry Houdini's car breaks in front of the family's house, and he pays them a visit. Serial colorimpact 412.

Father leaves on a trip to the Arctic with the explorer Peary. An immigrant family, consisting of Mameh, Tateh, and the little girl, live in the Lower East Side in utter poverty. Evelyn Nesbit visits the Lower East Side, where she becomes enchanted with Tateh's daughter, and soon her visits become regular. The little girl becomes ill, and Evelyn cares for her.

Mother's Younger Brother begins to follow Evelyn everywhere without her knowledge. Tateh, Evelyn Nesbit, and the little girl attend a socialist meeting whose featured speaker, Emma Goldman, criticizes Evelyn for employing her sexuality to gain prominence in capitalistic society. Mother rescues and claims responsibility for a newborn baby she discovers buried alive in her backyard; she soon learns it is the child of a black washwoman named Sarah. Evelyn Nesbit and Mother's Younger Brother start to see a lot of one another. Mother's Younger Brother helps Evelyn search for Tateh and his little girl, but to no avail. Tateh and his daughter happily leave New York City and travel up the Eastern seaboard.

Meanwhile, Houdini learns how to fly planes, and performs a demonstration for Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Countess Sophie. Father experiences a feeling of profound isolation upon his return to New Rochelle.

Mother's Younger Brother becomes proficient in the use of bombs. Tateh and his little girl travel to Lawrence, Massachusetts, where there is a strike against the textile mills, and continue to many other cities. In Philadelphia, Tateh finds a novelty store where the owner agrees to buy the movie books Tateh has invented. Tateh decides they will return to Lawrence to settle down.

Henry Ford pays a lunch visit to J.P. Morgan and they discuss technology and religion.

One afternoon, a black man named Coalhouse Walker stops by their home in New Rochelle, asking to see Sarah, who refuses to see him. After Coalhouse continues to call on her every Sunday, Sarah finally accepts his proposal for marriage. One day Coalhouse Walker is driving to New York when volunteers from the Emerald Isle firehouse bar his path. While Coalhouse seeks help from the police, the volunteers wreck his car.

When Coalhouse complains he is arrested. Coalhouse dedicates the funds he originally intended for his wedding toward securing a lawyer. However, he cannot find a lawyer willing to represent him.

One night, Sarah leaves the house to attend an event at which Mr. Taft's Vice- President would be present; she wishes to petition the federal government on Coalhouse's behalf.

However, the secret service men hit her hard in the chest; she soon grows ill and dies. Coalhouse and his followers cause an explosion at the Emerald Isle firehouse, killing four volunteers. Father and Mother's Younger Brother fight over the situation, and Mother's Younger Brother leaves the household to join Coalhouse and his followers. Mother and Father move to Atlantic City to escape the scrutiny of the townspeople.