Retired bank manager George Pearmain is, apparently, dead. According to the behaviour of everyone around him, it seems he is no more. Not only that, but his mother has also passed away—and on the eve of her 99th year. Not only that, it could be that they were both murdered. Apart from that, he feels fine. As George's family gather for the 99th birthday celebration that never was, he hovers around, watching and listening, entirely unseen and makes all sorts of discoveries about himself, his wife Esmerelda and his supposedly happy family...