Nicholas Romanov, the last Russian Tsar and his family were murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1917. Now, fifty years later, Tom Bradshaw sees a young man in New York's popular west side YMCA. The young man looks remarkably like a fellow student Tom was in love with at Yale; Eric Lindenhurst Hall, dubbed Prince Eric thanks to his good looks and wealth. Tom's love was not reciprocated and never would be as Eric had died in a boating accident several years ago. Tom befriends Eric's double, Nicky, and is soon involved in a passionate affair with Eric's 'ghost.' As Tom learns more about Nicky's birth and rearing an elaborate plan begins to unfold in his mind. A plan so preposterous that every detail must be meticulously thought out if it is to succeed. Tom was going to have Nicky Pretend to be Prince Eric.