Meet Mason Ezekiel Barnes, former NFL tackle turned successful author of the naughty ninja adventure series Mia Killjoy. Mason is obsessed with winning a Pulitzer and is thwarted by his fellow author and nemesis, the twerpy little gnome Conrad Bancroft. Mason spends his days writing at a local cafe, Perk Noir, the one-of-a-kind jazz coffee shop where he and Bancroft ply their craft. The joint is thick with mysteries. 

Mason is obsessed with the life of jazz great Earl "Lightning" Perkins, a legend and former owner of the Perk Noir. Mason is convinced that Lightning has a hidden past and he’s determined to find it and catapult himself to greatness and the coveted Pulitzer once he writes his greatest story yet. 

One day, unexpectedly in walks Shelly, a Mia Killjoy super fan-girl who happens to have a mysterious pocket watch she recently inherited from her grandfather. Shelly convinces Mason to assist her in unraveling its history.

Join along with Mason and Shelly as they find themselves embroiled in a deeper mystery than they could ever have imagined, full of twists and turns and surprises that pop up around every corner. Perk Noir is full of comedic relief, pop culture, NFL, jazz, a little touch of romance and flashbacks of Lightning and his family during both the first half of the 20th century and later during the Civil Rights Movement. Mason and Shelly and their adventures is a fun-filled thrill ride that will appeal to all listeners. There is something for everyone at the Perk.