Chester Thomas King is a successful writer of pulp fiction. He has written and lived under many different pseudonyms, the most current being "Mickey King". A native Brit, he is currently living in Italy. Much like one of his trashy novels, Mickey narrates the story of a recent adventure in which he was involved that by its end would send five people to the morgue.
At his publisher's office, he is approached by a man named Ben Dinuccio, the agent of someone famous, who would at this time like to remain anonymous, to ghostwrite that famous person's memoirs. Mickey agrees if only because of the exorbitant fee offered. Before Mickey can meet the person in question, he is sent by Dinuccio on a multi-day tour throughout Italy to hide the person's identity and locale for safety reasons. Mickey will be contacted along the way by a yet unknown person, who will lead Mickey to his ultimate destination.
An incident en route leads to Mickey questioning taking the job. That feeling is strengthened when he meets the subject person: ex-Hollywood movie star Preston Gilbert, whose private life was rumored to have been associated with gangsters. Preston has a wicked temper and unusual sense of humor. Another incident during Preston's dictation and Mickey's writing process leads to Mickey believing that his life is in danger, because of what he eventually learns is something that may be written in Preston's memoirs. Mickey has to do some digging if he is going to figure out what that story is, and who if anyone is trying to kill him.