An Unsuitable Job for a Woman

Cordelia Gray inherits her former boss Bernie Pryde's detective agency and agrees to take on her first solo case. She is tasked with investigating the apparent suicide of Mark Callendar, a university student from a powerful family, and begins by collecting basic facts and setting up the inquiry.

Mark's father, James Callendar, and his aloof assistant Elizabeth hire Cordelia to look into Mark's death. They emphasize secrecy and hope for a quick conclusion that fits their interests, pushing Cordelia to start at the cottage and surrounding properties.

Cordelia visits Mark's cottage, where the body was found, and speaks with Miss Markland, the property owner who discovered Mark. The visit establishes the physical evidence and sets the mood for the case's remote, secluded setting. She notes Mark's isolation and the eerie quiet of the place.

Cordelia travels to the Callendar country house and is kept in the company of Elizabeth, who shows home movies of Mark, hinting at his private life. Andrew, a family friend and guardian figure to Mark, is introduced during the visit, adding a tense dynamic to the investigation.

Cordelia visits Isobel, Mark's university friend, who brushes off the idea that Cordelia is a journalist. Isobel's evasive behavior plants seeds of doubt about whether there was a romantic or sexual motive behind Mark's death.

The coroner reveals traces of purple lipstick on Mark's mouth, suggesting a kiss from a woman before death. This clue pushes Cordelia to suspect Isobel and questions the nature of Mark's relationships.

Isobel recounts discovering Mark's body in the cottage at night, claiming he was wearing women's underwear and lipstick. She says she phoned Andrew but left Mark's body untouched, presenting a story that contradicts what Cordelia later discovers.

Andrew contradicts Isobel's account, stating he went to see Mark but does not recall the clothes or lipstick. His evasive answers deepen the mystery and suggests complex family dynamics behind Mark's death.

Cordelia attempts to recreate Mark's suicide using crime-scene photographs and the belt he fashioned as a noose. The experiment ends disastrously as she nearly hangs herself, only to be saved by a young boy who witnesses the moment.

Upon returning to the cottage, Andrew hides in a closet and suddenly attacks Cordelia, throwing her into a well on the property. She climbs out, watches as Andrew attempts to check for her and then flees.

Cordelia finds a clue in a prayer book that leads her to suspect Eve was not Mark's biological mother. Elizabeth admits she gave Mark the prayer book as a 21st birthday gift and hints at a hidden truth behind Mark's birth.

Elizabeth reveals she delivered Mark in Italy while posing as a nurse, and that her involvement was part of a larger contract. She tells Cordelia she will meet again at the cottage to discuss the matter.

Cordelia and Elizabeth return to the area near the river to follow up on the leads. They arrive at the scene near Andrew's death, where James sits despondent and is confronted with suspicions of Mark's murder.

Cordelia accuses James of murdering Mark, revealing that he staged the death to humiliate his son. James denies the accusation, clinging to the public image of the family.

Elizabeth shoots James to death, ending the motive for the original crime, and authorities swiftly take her away. Cordelia's uncovering of the truth exposes a chilling family secret and closes the case.