Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney) is a smart, beautiful, and ambitious woman. While trying to work her way up the advertising ladder, she takes on the most treacherous of tasks, Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb). A poison pen reviewer known for his biting wit and unfriendly demeanor. However, Laura’s charms are unmistakable and even Waldo is not immune. A friendship builds, as does Laura’s career. When Laura suffers an untimely and murderous end, Detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) arrives on scene. Believing the best way to uncover her killer, is to interview her friends, he finds an unlikely partner in Waldo. Each story he uncovers reveals another piece to the puzzle of how she died, but more importantly how she lived. As Mark investigates and reflects, he eventually finds himself falling in love with the woman he can never have, or truly know -- Laura.