Without Apparent Motive

The southern French metropolis of Nice is plagued by a brutal series of murders. Four corpses in two days - even the experienced, hard-boiled inspector Stephane Carella has never seen anything like it. As there is no apparent motive for the murders, the pressure grows on Carella to work with his assistants to find a connection between the crimes and the perpetrator of the deadly attacks: a mysterious sniper who positions himself somewhere above the rooftops of Nice and coldly liquidates his victims from a distance. Carella discovers a significant address book in the house of the young actress Sandra Forest, whose stepfather was also murdered. Among the telephone numbers listed there is that of his former lover Jocelyne Rocca, who appears to be involved in the case. Carella realizes the danger too late; after a meeting together, Jocelyne is shot in the back by the unseen perpetrator. Meanwhile, Mademoiselle Forest learns from her friend, the attractive TV presenter Julien Sabirnou, that he believes he is the murderer's next victim. She then alerts Carella, who in turn makes a surprising discovery: there is a connection between the dead after all, and actress Sandra Forest plays a crucial role. She is the protagonist of a new play by amateur playwright Francis Palombo, which was performed several years ago. The name of the acting ensemble seems strangely familiar to the inspector, who is well versed in all the tricks of the trade.