No Way to Treat a Lady

The story unfolds in the early 1970s New York City, a period marked by gritty urban crime and a thriving Broadway scene. The era’s atmosphere is shaped by public fascination with sensational murders and the high-stakes world of theatre production. Police work relies on newspaper coverage and direct confrontations that drive the investigation forward.

The action centers around a Broadway theatre district in New York City, with key scenes inside the theatre’s lobby, backstage, and control areas. Other significant settings include Kate Palmer’s apartment and Morris Brummel’s home, reflecting the personal and professional stakes of the investigation. The theatre environment provides a stage for disguises and performances, while the city backdrop intensifies the cat-and-mouse chase.

🎭 Obsession

Gill’s killings are driven by a fixation on his late mother, a famous stage actress, which fuels his ritualistic violence. His disguises are a form of performance that feeds his ego and feeds the killer’s need for control. The lipstick motif on the foreheads of victims echoes his pathological tie to his mother and to the theatre world. The theme examines how family fixation can warp perception and morality.

🕵️ Disguise

Gill adopts multiple disguises to lure victims and mislead investigators, turning identity into a weapon. Brummel’s investigation counteracts Gill’s deceptions, using strategic taunts and social manipulation to draw out the killer. The interplay between actor and detective highlights how appearance can obscure truth. The theme explores performance as both art and weapon.

⚖️ Confrontation

The pursuit culminates in a tense confrontation where Brummel pieces together Gill’s true identity. The reveal—linking the killer to his mother and his theatrical persona—shatters the veil of disguise. Brummel’s decisive action ends the killer’s spree, though the killer’s final imagined victims linger in his psyche. The resolution juxtaposes justice with the cost of obsession.