During Christmas dinner, Robert Warbeck, the only son and heir of the old Lord, dies in front of the other guests. Because of heavy snowfall Warbeck Hall is cut off the outer world, and the phone line is broken. Detective Rogers takes upon himself the task of investigating the murder. Soon after the old Lord Warbeck, already being on his last legs, dies. A silent panic strikes the guests, who try to keep together. Still, another guest dies, this time it is Mrs. Carstairs. Both Robert Warbeck and Mrs. Carstairs seem to have been poisoned. Doctor Bottwink, who was originally invited to study centuries-old documents in the family library, turns into an amateur detective trying to solve murder cases.