Sir Oswald and Lady Coote are hosting a party at their rented stately home, Chimneys, for the season. The guest list includes Gerry Wade, Jimmy Thesiger, Ronny Devereux, Bill Eversleigh, and Rupert "Pongo" Bateman. Since Wade has a habit of oversleeping, the others decide to play a prank on him by placing eight alarm clocks in his room, all set to go off at different intervals.

The next morning, a footman discovers that Wade is dead in his bed, with chloral hydrate on his nightstand. Thesiger notices that one of the eight alarm clocks is missing, which is later found in a hedge.

Lord Caterham and his daughter, Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent, move back into Chimneys. When Bundle drives to London to meet Eversleigh, Ronny Devereux unexpectedly jumps in front of her car. Before he dies, Devereux manages to mutter, "Seven Dials..." and "Tell...Jimmy Thesiger." Bundle promptly brings his body to a doctor, who informs her that her car did not hit Devereux; he was shot.