Brian Martell is accused of murdering a playwright 40 years after Brian's father was charged with murdering the playwright's father.

Matlock and his father investigate a 40-year-old murder, apparently duplicated by the accused murderer's son.

Matlock talks about his career to a law class at university and the subject of `the perfect murder' comes up. When student Eddie Price disappears, the university officials fear that Matlock's speech may have incited one of the students to commit a perfect crime.