Who was Billy Blake, other than a homeless alcoholic who wandered the streets? Why was he found dead from starvation in one of the richest areas of one of the richest capitals in the world? And why did he die in the garage of wealthy architect Amanda Powell, without once calling for her help? Having thwarted press interest at the time, six months on from the bizarre tragedy Amanda is suddenly eager to talk to journalist Michael Deacon. She seems to have developed a strange obsession with her dead visitor, and Deacon's curiosity - both about her and her motives in trying to establish Billy's true identity - is intense. But Deacon's interest in Billy Blake has more to do with forgotten echoes in his own life than in the moralistic stance taken by Amanda Powell - a woman whose wealth can only be explained if her husband is dead...