City lawyer Walter Stackhouse desperately needs to escape his marriage. His wife Clara is neurotic, vindictive and has been systematically alienating all of his friends. She is ruining his life, and its small wonder then that he finds himself drawn to gentle, sympathetic Ellie. So when Clara jealously makes a failed suicide attempt, Walter realises just what life might be like without her. Meanwhile, the story of a New York woman brutally murdered by her husband has been making headlines and firing Walters imagination, and he suddenly sees an opportunity to put an end to his torment. But does he really have the courage to get rid of Clara? Or will he be too much of blunderer to see it through?