Character Relationship Map: Not for Publication

Characters

• Lois (played by Nancy Allen) — protagonist

  Lois Thornedyke is an ambitious journalist at The Informer who writes under the pen name Louise Thorne, while volunteering for Mayor Franklyn's re-election campaign. She investigates a sex club with p...

• Barry Denver (played by David Naughton) — supporting

  Barry Denver is a photographer whose previous experience was in ornithological photography. Lois hires him to work on Mayor Franklyn's campaign, and he joins her investigation of a sex club in disguis...

• Troppogrosso (played by Richard Paul) — supporting

  Troppogrosso is the editor of The Informer, urging Lois to pursue stories about sex, scandal, and sin. He assigns her to investigate The Bestiary after receiving a tip that the mayor will attend. The...

• Lois' Mother (played by Jeanne Evans) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Lois' Mother → Lois (mother)
• Barry Denver → Troppogrosso (Professional Unwitting Employee) — Barry is indirectly connected to Troppogrosso through the tabloid's operation.

  Barry discovers in the thieves' hideaway that, although he believed he was working as a campaign photographer, he had inadvertently been working for T...

• Lois → Troppogrosso (Professional Editor And Reporter) — Troppogrosso directs Lois's investigative work at the tabloid.

  Lois works for The Informer, where Troppogrosso is her editor. He assigns her to investigate The Bestiary after receiving information about the mayor'...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Lois → Barry Denver (Alliance Campaign Partners) — Their professional partnership develops through investigative cooperation.

  Lois hires Barry as a photographer for the mayor's re-election campaign, and they later work together to enter The Bestiary and pursue a story.

Story Analysis

An ambitious journalist investigates a criminal newspaper operation and uses recorded evidence to restore her paper's former identity.

Plot Progression

1. A Reporter Between Two Papers — Lois works at The Informer but misses the respected identity of The Enforcer. She also joins a mayoral re-election campaign and recruits Barry as a photographer.
2. The Bestiary Assignment — Troppogrosso sends Lois to investigate The Bestiary after receiving a tip about the mayor. Lois and Barry enter the club in animal costumes.
3. Inside The Thieves' Hideaway — A burglary disrupts the club, forcing Lois and Barry to pose as thieves. Their deception takes them to a hideaway, where Barry learns Lois's professional identity.
4. The Criminal Newspaper Scheme — The mayor is exposed as the crime syndicate boss behind the robbery scheme. The connection between the mayor, Troppogrosso, and The Informer is revealed.
5. A Bargain For The Old Name — During a flight, the mayor confesses while Lois secretly records him. She trades the evidence for the restoration of The Enforcer's name, and the final front page announces both re-election and engage...