It's the eve of 1953, and World War II veteran and private eye Aloysius Archer is in LA to ring in the New Year with an old friend, actress Liberty Callahan. Their evening is interrupted by Liberty's friend Eleanor Lamb, a screenwriter in dire straits who wants to hire Archer. Before he can officially take Eleanor's case, a dead body turns up in her home and Eleanor disappears. Missing client or not, Archer is set on finding both the murderer and Eleanor.