In 1951, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the private detective Nestor Burma was commissioned by an insurance company to find stolen jewelery. The deal seemed easy and Burma got an appointment with a well-known black trumpet player in the neighborhood who could provide him with information. But the musician does not come and we find him murdered. The investigation becomes more complicated and Nestor must find an alibi so as not to be suspected of the crime.