Buddy Thomas, a top boxer, is making a comeback, but as the victorious Thomas returns home to celebrate with his girlfriend, Ruby Smith, he finds she has been murdered. Ruby had been a prostitute, but to Thomas' certain knowledge, she had given it up. Some not too difficult research by the Homicide squad shows that she had not in fact 'retired' - and the long job of tracking down and questioning her customers begins. It is Thomas who uncovers the vital clue to the murderer, just as the police are making the same deductions - but the killer is not to be easily caught.