Lovejoy, the connoisseur of antiques and all-around scamp, embarks on a madcap search for a priceless Celtic antique. Half a jump behind him are a couple of mayhem-minded antique dealers, a woman of extraordinary beauty with brains to match, and a motley crew of "interested parties" including the police. Assault, false arrest, kidnapping, blackmail, and murder all add to the high cost of finding and keeping an antique that only Lovejoy can recognize. With time out for a romantic interlude every now and then, Lovejoy nobly fights to hold on to the treasure - and his life.