Tom Grogan

A delightful, old-fashioned novel set along the waterfront of NYC in the 1890s. Tom Grogan is a stevedore, and when he suddenly dies, his wife, Mary, hides the knowledge of her husband's death and takes over the operation of his business (and becomes the "Tom" of the story). She is a tough little cookie, and it's wonderful to see the way she fights the politicians and unions to keep her husband's business afloat.