A man has escaped from an asylum for the criminally insane. He works (tricks) his way in to a family and slowly he breaks them apart. One by one he manipulates them to destroy themselves though various vice.

About half way through the book, the reader is led to believe that this must be some act of revenge, for what someone in that family had done long ago. However, his motives remain somewhat mysterious by end of the book. The man is a psychopath and beyond rational understanding.

It is quite tragic really. Especially the end. But there is also some humor and hope along the way.

The protagonist eventually figures everything out... yet ultimately he realises he was simply outsmarted and there is now nothing he can really do, except seek revenge himself.