As the curtains fell on the 1957 Miami polio telethon, an event co-hosted by the charming entertainers Lanny Morris and Vince Collins, they found themselves embarking on an unexpected journey to New Jersey. Their objective was to inaugurate the new showroom of mobster Sally Sanmarco’s latest hospitality venture, a calculated move aimed to enhance her reputation. However, their arrival would unveil a horrifying scene: the nude body of Maureen O'Flaherty, a promising Miami college student and aspiring journalist, was discovered lifeless in a bathtub.
Maureen had just begun her investigation into Morris and Collins for her college newspaper before her sudden disappearance. Officially ruled a drug overdose, her death left behind an enigmatic puzzle, devoid of any links to the two comedians. As their partnership, which once thrived on success and charisma, met its demise, unresolved emotions lingered in the air, adding to the complexity of the situation.
Fast forward fifteen years, and Karen O'Connor, a polio survivor who first encountered Morris and Collins at the telethon, takes on the assignment of ghostwriting Vince Collins' autobiography. This lucrative project, fetching a whopping $1 million, comes with a personal promise to uncover the truth behind Maureen's tragic end, a vow she made to Maureen’s mother. Yet, as she journeys deeper into the pages, she starts receiving strange chapters from Lanny Morris, which only amplify the growing tension and mystery.
A chance meeting with Morris on a flight leads to an unforgettable dinner, where Karen introduces herself using her friend’s identity, “Bonnie Trout.” The chemistry is undeniable, culminating in a night spent in his hotel room, only for Morris to mysteriously vanish the following morning without a trace.
As Karen continues her work on Collins' autobiography under her real name, she finds herself tangled in a web of lies when Collins invites her over for an impromptu writing session at his Los Angeles home. To her shock, Morris is also attending, placing Karen in a precarious position where she must conjure a quick excuse. However, fate intervenes, leading to an unexpected confrontation in the driveway, where secrets begin to unravel, revealing her covert ties to his former partner.
Navigating the fragile landscape, Collins reveals himself to be a clever tactician, manipulating Karen’s vulnerabilities to blackmail her into silence concerning Maureen O'Flaherty’s death. Under the influence of substances, he coerces her into a compromising situation with Alice, a young aspiring singer, capturing their intimate moments on film. The ultimatum is stark: remain silent about the truth surrounding Maureen's demise or face public humiliation when the photos are released.
As Karen dives into the history of the case, she discovers that Maureen had clandestinely recorded her interactions with both Morris and Collins. This revelation gradually sheds light on the fateful night from fifteen years prior, when their paths intertwined in a tumultuous encounter fueled by drugs and passion. The night ended with a shocking climax, one that involved Collins and Morris in a struggle that would lead to Maureen's tragic attempt at blackmail, not knowing that Morris had much darker motives for silencing her.
Ultimately, Maureen's tragic end ignited a massive cover-up involving the trio, who concealed her body in a crate filled with lobsters, courtesy of Sanmarco, on its journey to New Jersey. The tape that captured the chaos of that night remained missing for years, a haunting reminder of the buried secrets lingering just beneath the surface.
When a pivotal character, Reuben, reaches out to Karen, he proposes a hefty sum from her publishing company in exchange for the incriminating footage. He suggests that a million dollars would appropriately hush the revelations regarding Collins' bisexuality and potential involvement in Maureen’s death. Yet, Karen, savvy and perceptive, begins to piece together the broader implications of Reuben's demands, realizing that they hint at his own complicity in the dark tale of Maureen’s passing.
In the fallout of these revelations, Collins faces devastating consequences as he succumbs to despair and takes his own life. Morris, enraged and feeling betrayed, confronts Karen about the consequences of her revelations. Yet, in her quest for truth, she finally pieces together the puzzle that had haunted her, but at a considerable cost. Karen presents a grim ultimatum to Mrs. O'Flaherty: she will disclose the truth only after an innocent bystander suffers, highlighting the tragic impact of Maureen's narrative on those left behind.
