Philip Fletcher, somewhat exhausted and not yet fully recovered from his latest bout of life-threatening misdemeanors, takes an undemanding job at the Chichester Festival to allow himself to recuperate. What could be more pleasant than to idle away a few months in the countryside at the scene of some of his greatest triumphs? But a sinister undercurrent disturbs Philip's rural idyll, and when the object of his attentions becomes the quarry of an obsessive stalker, there's once again a premium on his dubious criminal skills.