Iris Lansing is a bad actress whose plays are financed by her criminal husband Rick who runs a protection racket and has caused the death of an elderly shop-keeper who has refused to pay him. Lansing receives a call from the Saint threatening to expose him unless he pays him a large sum of money though the Saint denies any part in it. Then a friend of the Saint, an actress called Mary who is also in Iris's play, tells him that her father is being blackmailed, allegedly by him. It is apparent to the Saint that his name is being used in vain. Whilst he hates Lansing he realizes that they are being played off against each other and the suspects are a cast of actors.