 Cosmetics queen Viveca Scott is struggling to keep her company alive in the face of tough competition from rival David Lang. But that ll be all but impossible if Karl Lessing, her employee and ex-lover, gets his way. He has stolen the formula of a revolutionary beauty cream and is about to sell it to Lang. Fortunately, Lang s secretary is on Viveca s payroll, and warns her of the impending sale. When Viveca kills Karl in a fit of rage, only Lieutenant Columbo has the mental acumen to see through the beauty to the truth.