From the acclaimed author of Finn comes a masterful re-imagining of Charles Dickens's classic, A Christmas Carol, in this darkly entertaining and moving exploration of the twisted relationship between Ebenezer Scrooge and Jacob Marley. They met in the gloomy confines of Professor Drabb's Academy for Boys. With Jacob Marley's genius for deception and Ebenezer Scrooge's brilliance with numbers, they build a shipping empire of dubious legality and pitiless commitment to the slave trade, concealing their true investments under the noses of the London authorities. When beautiful Belle Fairchild steps into Ebenezer's life and calls into question the practices that made him wealthy, Ebenezer tries to turn Scrooge and Marley's business toward better ends. But his partner is not ready to give up his unsavory past or easy profits so quickly. The two engage in a shadowy war against each other, leading to an unforgettable reckoning that will echo into their futures. -- adapted from jacket