Ten years before assuming his role as Sherlock Holmes in a series of 14 films, Rathbone essayed the character of S.S. Van Dine's detective Philo Vance in this single outing.

[1] From his private balcony, elderly Prof. Dillard and his servant see the body of family friend Joseph Robin with an arrow in his chest.

Vance quickly deduces that the arrow scene was staged (Robin was actually bludgeoned inside the house), but there is no obvious suspect.

That was Robin's nickname, and another visitor at the house that day was named Sperling—German for "Sparrow"—but he proves to have a solid alibi.

Mulling over Dillard's words later that night, Vance suddenly realizes that one of the characters in The Pretenders is a bishop—named Arnesson.

Breaking down the locked door to the attic, they find the typewriter, but not Belle, who is bound and gagged in a nearby cupola.

He originally only intended to kill Robin and frame Arnesson, but developed the more elaborate scheme when he realized Miss Drukker must have witnessed his actions.