The Adventurous Blonde

Torchy Blane reads a telegram on the train, only to realize it was meant for Theresa Gray. The telegram comes from her boyfriend Steve McBride and says a minister will wait to marry them at the station.

Mat, Dud, Mugsy and Pete plot a prank to ruin Torchy’s scoop by staging a death and feeding Steve a tip. They hire an actor to pretend dead and call Steve with the 'news.' They hope Torchy will report it and embarrass her employer's rival paper.

A fake broadcast reaches Steve and Torchy while they ride in Steve's police car toward the minister. They hurry to the scene and Torchy phones the story to her paper. An extra edition with a murder headline hits the streets while rival papers publish denials.

In truth, Harvey Hammond has in fact been murdered, and Torchy again beats the competition to the real story. She exposes that the supposed death was part of a prank, not a confirmed case yet.

Suspects in Harvey Hammond’s death include Grace Brown, her boyfriend Hugo Brand, and Theresa Gray, Hammond's former lover. Mortimer Gray, Theresa’s husband, is connected by motive and opportunity. The investigation begins to focus on their relationships.

To compel a confession from Theresa’s husband Mortimer, Torchy frames Theresa for the murder. Mortimer, who knew about the prank and envied his wife's relationship with Hammond, seizes the opportunity to kill him. He then faces a confession that implicates him.

Mortimer Gray confesses to Harvey Hammond’s murder, hoping to end the inquiry, and then takes poison to avoid further consequences. The sensational confession clears other suspects from the frame-up in the eyes of the authorities.

With Mortimer out of the way, Hugo Brand and Grace Brown are cleared of suspicion. The film moves toward a quiet resolution as they plan their life together.

Torchy’s waiting magistrate officiates the marriage of Hugo and Grace, formalizing their clearance and the end of the case's main tensions. This marks a small triumph for Torchy amid the chaos of the hoax.

Despite the long engagement and the recent victory, Torchy and Steve postpone their own wedding once again. Their professional and personal lives remain tangled as the case closes.

The truth about the hoax and the real murder is established, vindicating Torchy's instincts. The rival papers are left with their own embarrassment, while Torchy maintains her reputation as a sharp reporter.

The film ends with Torchy and Steve still engaged but with their wedding postponed again. The couple remains committed despite the ongoing chaos surrounding their careers.