Luckypenny, the title character, is married with two young adult children.

He is sent to negotiate an arms sale to fascist Italy and becomes embroiled in a scheme to smuggle cash out of the country, arranged by his boss to get rid of him.

He is caught, but escapes with the aid of a young woman, who, unbeknownst to Luckypenny, is an Italian espionage agent.

[1] The agent falls in love with Luckypenny and helps him to land a large contract for his company.

The novel ends in Francoist Spain, where Luckypenny's fate depends upon the intervention of his Italian lover.