As Public Relations Director for Twenty Grand Studios, Sam Howell knew that movie stars would do anything for their front-page write-up. So when Jack Roland got himself charged with murdering a scandal magazine publisher, Sam just groaned. It was so obviously a press-agent’s stunt.

Only one thing didn’t fit. The police were buying it, lock, stock and barrel. And then it suddenly hit Sam that as much as he knew about the antics of filmland, he was a novice to the vicious racket of the newsstand scandal-mongers. There were too many influential people who didn’t want the dead publisher’s confidential files aired. It was no longer a question of innocence or guilt; it was simply a matter of hushing the crime up quickly.

Sam Howell was right in the middle of that squeeze. If he backed out now, an innocent film star would take the rap. If he butted in, he would never live through ONE DEADLY DAWN.