Beth Baxter always dreamt of being an author. Unfortunately, fate has a twisted sense of humour so rather than writing books, she now sells them in a second-hand bookshop. With middle-age approaching and her life unfulfilled, Beth is at least grateful her forthcoming marriage to Karl is worthy of hope — or, so she thought.

When her fiancE's sordid past catches up with him, Beth finds herself embroiled in a sinister game of hide and seek. As her life is torn apart and all appears lost, Beth is thrown an unlikely lifeline when a former gangland fixer called Clement crashes into her life, offering to help.

Unfortunately for Beth, there is one minor complication with her saviour — Clement claims he died in 1975 and must help Beth as penance for sins committed in his previous life.

With just seven days to avoid a fate she can't bear to contemplate, Beth chooses the lesser of two evils and reluctantly joins her deluded, politically incorrect companion on a quest across London in search of a solution.

Will this unlikely partnership succeed? Will Clement ever come to terms with paying five quid for a pint? And will Beth ever learn the truth about who sent Clement?