It was May 19, 1975. The Vietnam War had just ended, Watergate still stained the nation, and the country was mired in recession. Once the crown jewel of the Jersey Shore, Cape May had fallen into decay—until fate brought two unlikely souls together. One was Tom Ryan, an ex-con and self-proclaimed king whose empire had long since crumbled. The other was a young local whose path crossed Tom's on a day neither would forget. Their encounter unfolds into a darkly humorous, tender, and ultimately redemptive tale of love found in the most unexpected place. Woven with historical texture and emotional depth, A Cape May Diamond explores the fragility of second chances and the mysteries that shape every life. This is the story of how Tom Ryan and I met and how things never quite work out the way you think. You might find a love story in here somewhere. You might not. You might see a message hidden in one of the nickel pop bottles collected by the beachcombers from some of the most beautiful white sand beaches in the world. You might even find a little mystery, but life is full of mysteries.