What Is A Night for Crime About?
The premise of A Night for Crime in 247 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the shadow of wartime blackouts, a city plunges into darkness each night — and with that darkness comes danger. The streets, stripped of light, become a canvas for secrets, suspicion, and unseen threats. Amid this atmosphere of uncertainty, Hollywood’s glittering world provides an unsettling contrast, where glamour and menace intertwine in unexpected ways, and nothing is quite as it appears.
Susan Cooper, a quick-witted reporter with a talent for unraveling mysteries, once again steps into the role of amateur sleuth. Her sharp tongue and relentless curiosity make her a formidable investigator, though her methods often place her in situations most would avoid. Driven by instinct and a refusal to leave questions unanswered, she plunges headfirst into cases that blur the line between professional duty and personal danger.
At her side is Joe Powell, a publicity director for a film studio and her romantic partner, whose connections to Hollywood’s inner circles prove invaluable. Together, they navigate a tangled landscape of headline-grabbing crimes and private scandals, where the truth is buried beneath layers of deception. As the police chief works to maintain order, Susan discovers that this mystery reaches into corners of the city few would dare to examine.
With a feverish romance unfolding alongside a chilling investigation, Susan must balance her heart against her hunger for answers. In a world shrouded in literal and figurative darkness, the only certainty is that someone is hiding something — and Susan has no intention of letting the truth stay buried.
What Happens in A Night for Crime?
The complete story of A Night for Crime, from the first scene to the last, in 343 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 7 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Joe Powell, a publicity director for a film studio, visits his girlfriend Susan Cooper after a day at the studio. Their quiet evening is shattered by a scream from the hall: Ellen Smith, who lives across the way, has been strangled in her apartment. As the case unfolds, the headlines shift when an actress, Mona Harrison, who recently vanished, suddenly dominates the news. The police chief, Chief Williams, questions everyone who attended Mona’s dinner party the night before and learns that Mona’s servants quit after she suggested they all go out to dinner but never showed up at the restaurant.
In a tense late-night turn, Susan searches Mona’s bedroom, discovers a safe, and hides in a closet when a man enters. She is almost strangled before a dramatic interruption by Detective Hoffman, and the intruder escapes. The investigation deepens: Ellen was murdered by a man, while Mona’s death is attributed to a woman, steering the mystery toward dual motives and hidden lives. As Joe delves into Mona’s records, he becomes wary of the danger and is nearly killed by an unseen assailant while he checks Mona’s files for clues about her twin sister, Marie.
With Mona’s safety a growing concern, Susan decides to head for Reno, Nevada. Fearful for her, Joe partners with Hamilton Hart and Carol Lynn as they chase Mona’s trail westward. Along the way, Susan is almost driven off the road by Arthur Evans. Upon arriving at the Reno hotel, Susan, Joe, Hart, and Carol finally cross paths with Mona’s sister, Marie, who has been implicated in the web of blackmail surrounding Mona. Susan reveals that Arthur was married to Marie and that the two of them have been coercing Mona into paying for their silence. The investigation leads to a violent confrontation: Mona is killed by Marie after refusing to pay more, and Arthur kills Ellen, who had witnessed Mona’s murder. In the furious sequence that follows, Marie erupts with violence and ultimately falls to her death from the hotel window, leaving the case resolved but shrouded in tragedy.
A Night for Crime Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
11 key events in the order they happen, from “Scream signals murder in the hallway” to “Marie loses control and falls to her death”. 11 events name a place, across 9 locations.
- 1
Scream signals murder in the hallway
Joe Powell and his girlfriend Susan Cooper hear a woman's scream and rush to Ellen Smith's apartment across the hall, where they discover Ellen has been strangled. The shocking murder signals danger inside the building and prompts the start of a wider investigation. News soon ties Mona Harrison's recent disappearance to the case.
Where:Ellen Smith's apartment (across the hall)
- 2
Mona Harrison's disappearance and party aftermath
Mona Harrison, the actress who recently vanished, makes newspaper headlines. Police chief Williams interviews everyone who attended Mona's dinner party the night before. Mona's servants quit, and she offers to treat the group to dinner, but she never shows up at the restaurant.
Where:Mona's home / dinner party location
- 3
Susan searches Mona's bedroom and finds a safe
Susan decides to search Mona's bedroom and discovers a hidden safe. She hides in the closet when a man enters, narrowly avoiding an attempted murder. Detective Hoffman arrives on the scene and the intruder escapes.
Where:Mona's bedroom
- 4
Mona's death and killer gender clue
Later, Joe and Susan learn Mona has been found dead. The coroner reveals that Ellen was killed by a man, while Mona's murder was committed by a woman. This gender clue deepens the mystery and links Mona to the prior danger.
Where:Mona's apartment
- 5
Joe faces danger investigating Mona's sister Marie
While checking Mona's case files for her twin sister Marie, Joe is nearly killed by an unseen assailant in his office. The close call shows the danger is closer than anyone realizes. The investigation begins to reveal connections between Mona, Marie, and the other players.
Where:Joe's office
- 6
Susan decides to go to Reno for safety
Concerned for Susan's safety, she decides to leave for Reno, Nevada. Joe, Hart, and Carol are determined to join her and protect her on the journey. The decision shifts the pursuit toward a cross-country plan.
Where:Susan's home
- 7
The group heads to Reno
Joe, Hamilton Hart, and Carol Lynn set course for Reno to join Susan. They travel with the aim of keeping Susan safe from the growing threat. The road trip marks a turning point in the hunt for the killer.
Where:En route to Reno
- 8
Arthur Evans threatens Susan on the road
On the highway, Arthur Evans nearly drives Susan off the road, escalating the danger surrounding Mona's case. The incident confirms someone connected to Mona's murder will go to extreme lengths to silence witnesses. Susan's safety becomes the central concern for the group.
Where:On the road to Reno
- 9
Reunion at a Reno hotel and Marie's involvement
Upon arriving in Reno, Susan meets Joe, Hart, and Mona's sister Marie at a hotel. Susan reveals that Arthur was married to Marie and that the two were blackmailing Mona. The revelation ties Mona's murder to a broader conspiracy.
Where:Reno hotel
- 10
Mona's murder motive and Ellen's murder confirmed
The group pieces together the motive: Mona was killed for blackmail money by Marie, and Arthur killed Ellen, who was a witness to Mona's murder. The murders are thus connected to a calculated scheme to silence Mona and her enemies. The truth tightens the link between Mona, Arthur, and Marie.
Where:Reno hotel
- 11
Marie loses control and falls to her death
Marie becomes violent in her fury and accidentally falls to her death from the hotel window. The death ends the immediate danger but leaves the case with a tangled legacy. The chain of deception collapses as the truth comes to light.
Where:Reno hotel
Who Are the Main Characters in A Night for Crime?
10 characters, among them Joe Powell (Lyle Talbot), Susan Cooper (Glenda Farrell) and Ellen Smith (Marjorie Manners): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 9 of them link to the actor’s page.
- JP
Joe Powell (Lyle Talbot)
Played by Lyle Talbot
A publicity director for a film studio who becomes involved in the investigation after Ellen Smith's murder and Mona Harrison's disappearance. He partners with Susan to piece together alibis and connections among the dinner guests. His persistence drives the pursuit to Reno and into the hotel confrontation.
- 🎬 Public figure
- 🕵️ Investigative
- SC
Susan Cooper (Glenda Farrell)
Played by Glenda Farrell
Joe's girlfriend who takes an active role in uncovering the truth. She searches Mona's bedroom, faces danger, and helps uncover the blackmail and murder links tying the guests together. Her quick thinking keeps the investigation moving when danger arrives.
- 🎭 Actress
- 🛡️ Protective
- ES
Ellen Smith (Marjorie Manners)
Played by Marjorie Manners
A neighbor who is murdered early in the film, setting off the investigation. Her murder suggests a man’s involvement, creating initial confusion for the detectives. Ellen's testimony as a witness to the later events frames part of the motive behind the crimes.
- 💀 Victim
- 🧩 Witness
- MH
Mona Harrison (Lina Basquette)
Played by Lina Basquette
A celebrated actress who recently disappeared, whose death triggers the central mystery. Her murder reveals a blackmail plot and a crucial link to her sister Marie. Mona's presence and fate drive the emotional core of the story and the pursuit of truth.
- 🎭 Actress
- 💔 Victim
- M(
Marie (unlisted in cast)
Mona's twin sister who becomes the lynchpin of the killer's motive. She manipulates events to cover up the murder and ends up dying after a fall from a hotel window in a violent confrontation.
- 👯 Twin sister
- 💔 Villain
- AE
Arthur Evans (Rick Vallin)
Played by Rick Vallin
Marie's husband who is involved in the blackmail scheme. He assists in pressuring Mona and becomes tied to Ellen's murder as part of the broader conspiracy. His actions contribute to the escalating danger and the eventual uncovering of the truth.
- 💌 Blackmailer
- 🚶♂️ Accomplice
- DH
Det. Hoffman (Ralph Sanford)
Played by Ralph Sanford
The detective who intervenes when the assailant escapes and helps connect the various clues and suspects. His presence anchors the investigative drive and the pursuit of the truth across multiple locations.
- 👮 Detective
- 🔎 Investigator
- PC
Police Chief Williams (Forrest Taylor)
Played by Forrest Taylor
The city’s police chief overseeing the investigation and providing the authoritative backdrop against which the crime unfolds. His leadership anchors the procedural aspects of the case as it moves toward resolution.
- 👮 Chief
- 🏛️ Authority
- HH
Hamilton Hart (Donald Kirke)
Played by Donald Kirke
An ally of Joe who accompanies him to Reno. He aids in pursuing leads and navigating the escalating danger as the suspects flee to different locales.
- 🤝 Ally
- 🗺️ Traveler
- CL
Carol Lynn (Lynn Starr)
Played by Lynn Starr
A companion who joins the group in their Reno pursuit. She contributes to the investigation with observations and helps move the narrative toward the final confrontation.
- 🤝 Ally
- 🗺️ Partner
Where and When Is A Night for Crime Set?
A Night for Crime is set in Ellen Smith's apartment, Mona Harrison's home, Reno, Nevada, Joe's office, Reno…. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Ellen Smith's apartment, Mona Harrison's home, Reno, Nevada, Joe's office, Reno hotel
The story unfolds across a city setting centered on Ellen Smith's murder in her apartment and Mona Harrison's home during a dinner party. The investigation moves from intimate interiors to a Reno hotel, where the pursuit intensifies as suspects flee. The varied locations—apartment, home, restaurant, hotel—serve as stages for misdirection, blackmail, and confrontation.
- 🕵️ Murder mystery
- 🏙️ Urban setting
What Are the Themes of A Night for Crime?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Mystery, Blackmail and Revelation.
-
01
Mystery
The film centers on a murder mystery built on misdirection and shifting alibis. Clues emerge from close-quarters settings like the apartment and Mona's home, driving the investigation forward. Detective Hoffman’s entry and the Reno pursuit heighten tension as suspects cross paths. A twist reveals that the killer is a woman, reframing trust and motive among the characters.
-
02
Blackmail
A blackmail scheme threads through the narrative, with Mona and Arthur pressing for money. The investigation uncovers payments and threats tied to Mona's disappearance and Ellen's murder. The revelation that Marie and Arthur manipulated events adds motive to the killings. The web of coercion propels the plot toward a dramatic, danger-filled finale.
-
03
Revelation
The narrative builds to a dramatic revelation about Mona's murder, exposing Mona's sister Marie as the killer and highlighting Arthur's involvement in the broader scheme. The deaths of Ellen and Mona are linked through this web of deceit and motive. The truth surfaces amid heightened tension as the characters converge in Reno and at the hotel. The climax culminates in Marie's accidental death, sealing the twist and the resolution.
What Kind of Film Is A Night for Crime?
Tense in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Sad
A fast-paced, tense mystery that plunges an amateur sleuth into a dark wartime world of murder and blackmail, creating an atmosphere of constant danger and feverish urgency.
- tense
- mysterious
- suspenseful
- dark atmosphere
- urgent
- feverish
- crime investigation
- murder
- blackmail
- hidden identities
Content notes: murder, strangulation, death by falling.
Quiz
How well do you remember A Night for Crime? Test yourself on the story.
