Everything's a racket for Jeffty Kittridge, ex-wannabe scriptwriter living on the skids in Hollywood- the two-bit cons he pulls for spending money, the way he convinces himself he's not drinking, his attempts to persuade the local shark that he'll pay off his 15K debt. But he's not very good at it. He's seen jail twice; those early-morning shakes he's just felt may be the first instalment of the DTs; and he's recently received a payment-due reminder of broken thumbs. In fact, Jeffty is a big-time loser - and getting bigger all the time. r so it seems until he stumbles on a street-hardened, exquisitely beautiful but homeless young woman who inspires love - and the idea for the perfect con. It's Jeffty's chance to hit it big, to be set up for life in a new world with his new love...except - as the story speeds him towards what he imagines will be a moment of blissed-out consummation - he's actually on his way to discovering that love can be the biggest racket of them all...