The story follows the comic misadventures of the eponymous Henry Wilt as he is accused of the murder of his wife when she suddenly goes missing after a party at a friend's house where they have a very public argument.

Henry Wilt is a demoralised and professionally under-rated assistant lecturer at a community college in Mid Anglia who is dominated by his psychologically immature wife Eva and thus fantasises about murdering her.

During a night walk to relieve his frustrations, he accidentally busts an undercover operation by local police Inspector Flint, earning him the latter's undivided attention.

Sally, who has grown tired of Hugh and has turned lesbian, wished to win Eva over to her side; when Henry caught her attempting to seduce his unsuspecting wife and confronted her in private, he ended up accidentally knocking himself out.

Reconciled with his wife, Henry joins Eva's tai chi class for neurosis therapy, where he finds Flint, who has left the police and now works for a private security firm, as a new member to sort out his own psychological issues.