Harry is an unsuccessful clerk, a wife beater, an oddball who disagrees with everybody, and he's possessed with the idea of moving out of his basement apartment and into his father-in-law's home. He plans to kill his father-in-law, his wife, and let their kid live. His wife will inherit the home; he'll take it away from her.

His wife Wanda is a patient woman. She tries to get along with her husband, knowing her father and mother hate him, deeply regret her marriage. She doesn't know her father is searching for someone to kill Harry.

Wanda's father, Frank Giordano, and husband Harry focus on Cherry Killgallon as a hit man. Cherry spent twenty years in prison for killing his adopted parents. He stabbed them while under the influence of a drug given to him by Harry.

In prison, Cherry realized Harry was no friend, ignored him when he was in trouble. Cherry planned to kill Harry, but an elderly black man changed his mind. He'd stay out of trouble.

That proved difficult, as an ex-convict, he couldn't locate work. Eventually, two opportunities came to him: One from Harry, the other from Frank. He didn't want to kill anyone, but he needed money.

Cherry decides to kill Harry when he met Cathy, a beer barrel delivered and a heavy girl from Ireland.

The conflict between Cherry and his conscience, the fight between Harry and Frank Giordano, and the wisdom displayed by Wanda, is the story of Franklin Square.