Francis, an aging successful writer of crime novels, arrives in Venice where he plans to rent out an apartment to live in peace and quiet for the next year while writing a new novel. Through his search he meets Judith, a real estate agent, who insists on showing him a house accessible only by boat on the island of Sant'Erasmo. Francis is smitten with Judith, a beautiful ex-model about 20 years his junior, and acquiesces to rent the property if she moves in with him.