ðə bˈʊk tˈeɪks plˈeɪs ɪn nˈaɪntiz lˈʌndən ænd ɪz nɚɹˈeɪɾᵻd baɪ ɐn ʌnnˈeɪmd, twˈɛnti nˈaɪnjˈɪɹˈoʊld dɹˈʌɡ dˈiːlɚ"ɪf juː nˈuː maɪ nˈeɪm, juːd biː æz klˈɛvɚɹ æz mˌiː"hˌuː plˈænz ˌɔn lˈiːvɪŋ ðə kɹˈaɪm ɡˈeɪm bᵻhˌaɪnd æt ðɪ ˈeɪdʒ ʌv θˈɜːɾi tə lˈɪv lˈaɪf æz "ɐ dʒˈɛntəlmən ʌv lˈiːʒɚ."
The book takes place in nineties London and is narrated by an unnamed, 29-year-old drug dealer ("If you knew my name, you'd be as clever as me") who plans on leaving the crime game behind at the age of thirty to live life as "a gentleman of leisure."