Bernie has fallen in love with Illona, a beautiful blonde with a European accent. Illona just happened to walk into his bookstore to buy a book about Bogart. Illona, who is from Anaturia, a little known mid-European nation, learned her English by watching Bogart movies. They get to talking and find they are both avid fans of Bogart. They go to Bogart film festivals and Bogart double features, holding hands and eating buttered popcorn. Bernie's best friend, lesbian Carolyn Kaiser, is suspicious of Illona and warns Bernie that her arrival is too coincidental.

Bernie is approached by a Central European character, Tiglath Rasnoulian, to give him the contents of the portfolio, which Bernie doesn't have and doesn't know that they are ancient bearer bonds which will establish the economy of Rasnoulian's nation.

While Bernie is tries to extricate himself from this involvement and establish his innocence, Illona informs him \she is returning to Anatruria to join Mikhail in his fight for the cause of Aratruria's freedom.

This is the usual Bernie Rhodenbarr caper...funny and silly with a tangled plot. There is a cast of characters which remind this reader of those from Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon....Illona Ingrid Bregman, Mikhail Paul Henrid, Tiglath Peter Lorre. The dialogue between Carolyn and Bernie is very witty. There are enough facts about Bogart and his films and Bogart dialogue to satisfy the most faithful Bogart fan.

Bernie is a likeable character...always in trouble and it is always a delight to read how he manages to survive.