London crime reporter Barney Blair has an appointment with Janosch Kovac, the hotel detective at the Hotel Atlanta in San Remo. The informant wants to sell Blair brisante's background material, but it doesn't come to this point since the man will be stabbed before. In order to investigate himself in this case, Blair goes to the hotel where the film and music festival are taking place and soon smells a big story. In fact, the not very popular music producer Ruth Cornell is murdered shortly afterwards. Each of the guests would have a motive, and no one would have an alibi. Together with reporter colleague Gilly and a criminal inspector, the most mysterious case is investigated and anyone, whether a music agent or a hotel servant, could be the perpetrator.