When his sexy young wife fails to home one night, Jonas Milk tells his inquisitive neighbours she is visiting a friend. But his innocent attempt to protect Gina's reputation provokes hostility and suspicion among the residents of the Vieux-Marche - who know very well she has been having flagrant affairs throughout her marriage to the quite little bookseller. Soon Jonas's small lie leads him into a nightmare of police inquiries and painful discoveries . . .