As she arranges her first house exchange vacation, Minnesota nurse Ellen Merchant thinks she's snared the free holiday of a lifetime- she manages to trade her modest home for a mansion overlooking San Francisco Bay.

Art dealer Art Carmody, whose wealthy wife Jane owns this Bayside residence, has both serious gambling debts and a troubled marriage. He figures murdering Jane while giving himself an unshakable alibi wll solve both problems.

Con artist Sid Balzarian thinks he's discovered the perfect get-rich-quick scheme- kidnapping Jane Carmody for ransom. As these three stories converge, a dream vacation quickly becomes a breathtaking nightmare.