James Read is a troubled man in his forties. A gambling addiction has destroyed his life, career and marriage. After a period living on the streets he ends up in a hostel, where he meets Colin, a Falklands war veteran with schizophrenia. The novel is played out against the backdrop of Colin's crazed mind and insane plans. As James' life begins to recover, so the danger that Colin represents begins to escalate. Colin becomes James' nemesis and pushes him toward the limit of endurance. The novel concludes in climactic and dramatic fashion.