The book follows the fun-loving Smith, who is charged with a series of crimes including attempted murder. The second half of the novel covers the trial which brings out a stunning conclusion that touches upon many larger ideas. At the centre of the novel is the idea of human life and what makes everyday living worthwhile. Smith is an exuberant, eccentric and sweet-natured man who arrives at a dreary London boarding house accompanied by a windstorm. He creates his own court, brings couples together, and falls in love with a paid companion next door. The unexpected happens when Smith shoots at one of the tenants, and two doctors arrive to arrest him. Moon insists that the case be tried there, and they explore Smith's history, revealing startling truths about what he does. Is he the wickedest man in Britain, or is he "blameless as a buttercup"?
