 Nicholas Rood (C. Henry Gordon), dishonest mine owner, finds a Black Doll on his desk and knows that vengeance is about to overtake him for murdering his former partner. He is knifed as he talks to his daughter Marian (Nan Grey). She summons her fiance Nick Halstead (Donald Woods), a private detective. He finds that six people had a motive for the murder; Rood s sister Mrs.Laura Leland (Doris Lloyd); her son Rex (William Lundigan); Rood s associates Mallison(Addison Richards) and Walling (Arthur Hohl); Esteban (Fred Malatesta), a servant and Dr. Giddings (Holmes Herbert.) Sheriff Renick (Edgar Kennedy) and his deputy Red (Syd Saylor) get the clues all mixed up, but Nick finally narrows the search down to one suspect...