In Westlake's classic caper novels, the bad get better, the good slide a bit, and Lord help anyone caught between a thief named John Dortmunder and the current object of his attention. However, being caught red-handed is inevitable in Dortmunder's next production, when a TV producer convinces this thief and his merry gang to star in a reality TV show that captures their next score. The producer guarantees to find a way to keep the show from being used in evidence against them. They're dubious, but the pay is good, so they take him up on his offer. As the gang plans their next move with the cameras rolling, Dortmunder and his sidekick sneak onto the roof of their new studio to organize a private enterprise. It will take an ingenious plan to outwit viewers glued to their TV sets, but Dortmunder is determined to end this shoot with a good deal of money in his pockets.