Brash lawyer-detective Arthur Crook, of the ancient Rolls Royce, ginger hair and billycock headgear, is on the scene again, this time saving the day for client, love and the British police force.

Crook finds intrigue on his doorstep when his neighbor, a prim milliner, disappears under strange circumstances, leaving behind strangled bird and little else in the way of a clues. When it turns out that the milliner has been involved with a smuggling ring, an attractive young artist finds herself the unwitting target of a vicious crime gang.

London police are at a loss to find either the smugglers or the vanished milliner. When murder enters the picture, Crook, alarmed for the safety of his artist friend, seeks to get her out of London. His plan backfires, and he is plunged into a desperate chase-a race with death.