The story is written from the perspective of the protagonist, taxi driver Ed Kennedy,[1] whose journey begins after he stops a robbery and receives a playing card in the mail.

After accidentally foiling a robbery he is proclaimed a hero by the public, though the robber warns that Ed is "a dead man" before being taken away by police.

The second corresponds to Milla, a senile widow who lives alone, and the third reveals a young girl named Sophie who runs barefoot every morning but cannot win at her track meets.

Ed realizes that he's meant to involve himself with the three people and pretends to be Milla's husband Jimmy, who died 60 years ago during World War II.

He gives Sophie an empty shoe box to encourage her to try running barefoot at the next competition; she loses but finds pride in her achievement.

Two masked men break into Ed's house, assault him, and leave him a congratulatory letter as well as an Ace of Clubs with a vague clue.

The first is Thomas O'Reilly, a pastor in a run-down area with a dwindling congregation; Ed helps by organizing a party with free beer to encourage a crowd to come on Sunday.

The Doorman is stolen from a football match and Ed buys him back from a boy who gives him the Ace of Spades, which contains the names of three famous authors.

The first, Glory Road, reveals the home of Lua Tatupu, decorated for Christmas with strings of broken lights, so Ed buys new ones and sets them up himself.

[5] In 2015 the novel was adapted for stage by Xavier Hazard and Archie Stapleton and performed by the Redfoot Youth Theatre Company in Perth, Western Australia.