When Jimmy Pitt bets an actor friend that any fool could burgle a house, a feat which he offers to demonstrate that very night, he puts his reputation on the line. Although he hires the services of a professional burglar, the difficulty is increased when he has the misfortune to select Police Captain McEachern's house. And imagine Jimmy's consternation when he learns that McEachern's daughter is none other than the beautiful Molly, whom he worshipped from afar for quite some time.

From New York the action of the story moves to Dreever Caslte in Shropshire, England, where Jimmy's bird comes home to roost - with a vengeance. Filled with the sights, smells, and sounds of rural England, A Gentleman of Leisure also contains all the wit and humor we have come to expect from the inimitable P.G. Wodehouse.