Pretty, impecunious Sally Nicholas never dreamed a fortune could prove a disadvantage, until she became an heiress and watched in bewilderment as her orderly existence went haywire. Coping first with her brother's wild theatrical ambitions, then with the defection of her fiancé and his immediate replacement by a much more appropriate but strangely unattractive suitor, Sally finds that life in New York is becoming altogether too complicated, and a trip to England only makes the whole situation worse.

Sir George Pyke is quite disappointed in his son Roderick's business acumen. Roderick, unlike his old man, lacks the aggressive drive required of a business tycoon. So the elder Pyke resolves to marry him off to the sprightly Felicia, who has enough spark to manage any man and may just do him a world of good. All is going well until Bill West arrives from New York.

Imperious American widow Beatrice Chavender is visiting her sister's country home near London when a most unfortunate thing happens: She takes a bite of inferior ham while having her breakfast. Soon everyone around her is suffering the consequences - her sister, her brother-in-law, the butler, poor Sally, Sally's fiancé, and even Mrs. Chavender's ex-fiancé, "Ham King" J. B. Duff.

George Uffenham, the eccentric sixth viscount of Uffenham, has just converted the family fortune into diamonds - and stashed them away in a secret hiding place. But as luck would have it, an unfortunate car accident soon thereafter causes him to forget the jewels' location. In order to recover the gems, he must let out his estate, Shipley Hall, to big-game hunter Clarissa Cork and return posing as the butler, Cakebread.

In the bar-parlor of the Angler’s Rest, Mr. Mulliner tells his amazing tales, holding the assembled company of Pints of Stout and Whiskies and Splash in the palm of his expressive hand. Here you can discover what happened to the man who gave up smoking, share a frisson when the butler delivers something squishy on a silver salver (“Your serpent, Sir,” said the voice of Simmons) - and experience the dreadful unpleasantness at Bludleigh Court. Throughout, the Mulliner clan remains resourcefully in command in the most outlandish situations.