Agent 49 is a historical novel based on a true story. It chronicles the journey of a master thief who is recruited by the United States government to spy on the plot to commit one of the greatest crimes in American history. Billy Hathaway was just another thrill-seeking young man until he was involved in a drunken Saturday night brawl. After being thrown in jail, he is recruited by the government. His assignment is to keep an eye on a young scientist working on the Manhattan Project named Ted Hall. Eventually, Billy becomes a reluctant witness to the passing of the Atomic Bomb blueprint to Russia.