A controversial artist is dead, apparently the victim of a botched robbery at his suburban estate. Take-no-prisoners journalist Maddie Magellan is unconvinced, and she casts her suspicions on the deceased's possessive wife and his frivolous mistress. But one was in her city office at the time of death, and the other was bound, gagged and blindfolded by the "robber". A chance meeting with Jonathan Creek, a famous illusionist's technical advisor, leads Maddie to believe that his "lateral mind" may allow him to see through the deceptions in the case, and she recruits the reluctant genius as her partner.