In the first two books of The O'Shaughnessy Chronicles, we got to know Will and his beloved wife, Mary, as they raised their family in the boom times of the 1920s and the struggles of the Great Depression. In this third book, we become better acquainted with the O'Shaughnessy children--Sharon, the practical-minded oldest daughter; Ruby, the strong-willed middle child who has a penchant for getting into trouble; and Catherine, the impressionable youngest daughter who goes along with Ruby's schemes. Catherine is Ruby's puppet, but she's willing to let her sister pull her strings because it often leads to excitement and adventure. When the girls' cousin Gusta moves in with the family, Catherine can't help but see her as "Ruby in high gear." It's not until Catherine grows up and begins dating the dashing Jonathon Hays, over Ruby's vehement objections, that the puppet's strings begin to fray. Will Ruby's attempts to keep Catherine and Jonathon apart sever the ties between the sisters forever?