Justine's body lay on the sofa, a gaping knife wound in his back. And looking on him from the walls was a bevy of enchanting nudes - paintings he had done of the women he had known. Poet, lover, artist - the talented beauty shop Casanova had held his last tryst.

Chicago's homicide squad was well versed in the ways of murder involving the passions of both sexes. But this was different. Murder, seemingly, was impossible. The knife found on the table was clean. The door and windows were locked from the inside. And there were entirely too many women in his life to put a finger on even one suspect!

Then - Justine's body was hardly cold before lovely Mary Underwood died violently and suddenly - of poisoning - and under circumstances similarly as mysterious!

Not only who - but how?

Professor Caldwell, noted psychologist, and Bendy Brinks, his energetic assistant, showed Lieutenant Phelan how. But it took an innocent little birthday party and an old cuckoo clock to find out who - and trap a wily killer with a string of "perfect" murders!