Sherlock Holmes is intrigued when Dr. Watson's friend, Julian 'Stinky' Emery, visits and tells them of a strange robbery at his flat the previous night. Stinky is an avid collector of music boxes and has several quite expensive pieces in his vast collection. The previous night, someone broke into his flat and knocked him unconscious when he tried to intervene. All they took however was a simple wooden music box he had bought at auction that day for a mere £2. The box was one of three available for sale and as Holmes and Watson begin to trace the other purchasers, it becomes apparent that someone will stop at nothing, including murder, to retrieve all three. When Holmes learns the identity of the music box maker, he is convinced it contains directions to the retrieval of something very valuable that the government has kept from the public.

Esther (Kathleen Ryan) goes into service in Victorian England, only to be seduced by the sweet talking groom William (Sir Dirk Bogarde), who then takes off with his employer's daughter. Left alone to bring up the child, Esther manages, and after seven years, has a chance at happiness. Then William turns up agai

When William Gridley arrives from the US in London, he rents part of Carly Hardwicke's house from her and promptly begins to fall in love. Gridley doesn't know that many people think she killed her husband but his boss, on the American embassy staff, knows and doesn't take this "lapse of judgment" lightly. Since Carly is also American, Gridley saves his job by introducing her to his boss, who is promptly smitten and promises to help her. So when a Scotland Yard detective arrives, wanting to get to the truth one way or another, they say they'll help him. And then the comedic complications really begin.

This was a nice little mystery of a man being found dead in front of a police station right before an election. The man was a private investigator and the police station and newspaper men are desperate to solve the case. Politics and an estranged wife are thrown into the mix.