一天，一位自称史密斯的神秘客人来访。
史密斯对菲兹杰拉德极其嫌恶，
却愿意花重金购买他的手稿。
与此同时，九十二街的红墙别墅里死了一位老妇人，
伯尼·罗登巴尔除了是个贼，还是个绅士，
所以他不能对老妇人的死无动于衷。
他一边和纽约警官雷·基希曼联手破解红墙别墅的疑案，
一边继续自己的盗贼生活，
辗转在昂贵画作、银汤匙、和数不胜数的纽扣之间。
谁也想不到，史密斯的真实目的竟然是……

Bernie Rhodenbarr is a personable chap, a good neighbor, a passable poker player. His chosen profession, however, might not sit well with some. Bernie is a burglar, a good one, effortlessly lifting valuables from the not-so-well-protected abodes of well-to-do New Yorkers like a modern-day Robin Hood. (The poor, as Bernie would be the first to tell you, alas, have nothing worth stealing.) He's not perfect, however; he occasionally makes mistakes. Like accepting a paid assignment from a total stranger to retrieve a particular item from a rich man's apartment. Like still being there when the cops arrive. Like having a freshly slain corpse lying in the next room, and no proof that Bernie isn't the killer. Now he's really got his hands full, having to locate the true perpetrator while somehow eluding the police -- a dirty job indeed, but if Bernie doesn't do it, who will?