Goines takes the reader into the violent world of ghetto prostitution. Whoreson Jones, the novel's hero, is the son of a beautiful black prostitute and an unknown white john. By the age of sixteen, he's a full-fleged pimp, cold-blooded, ruthless. Written in gritty street talk, Whoreson's story affords a startling glimpse into the hell of the inner city, yet bristles with bitter humor and defiant pride.