Stan Cutler is good looking, on the dole, and fed up. He can't get enough money or sex, and his acrobatic pigeons seem all that is left in the world to give him pride or joy. Evie Cutler is no more excited; her years of motherhood have peaked, her marriage is stagnant and her job in the chip shop is about as fascinating as a wet fish. When Stan is unexpectedly double-crossed, and Evie takes an electrifying long weekend in Amsterdam, their lives radically change direction. Stan seeks revenge through plotting the perfect crime, while Evie begins to live life with adventure, each discovering excitement and help, neither confiding in the other. Set against the background of recession, and shuttling between the highly contrasting cities of Middlesbrough and Amsterdam, Stan and Evie's secret selves head relentlessly towards an intriguing climax.