Documents constituting state secrets have been stolen from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Guests have gathered for the weekend at the Chimneys country mansion, rented for two years by millionaire Sir Oswald Coote. One of the guests, a young “player of life,” dies in a strange way. The alleged killer placed seven alarm clocks in a row near his body. After some time, another guest dies, a strange young man, who whispered before his death: “... seven dials... tell Jimmy Thesiger.” Guests and hosts begin their own investigation.