From the 1830s to the 1870s, Madame Restell handles problem pregnancies among the wealthy and the well-known in New York City. An intrepid reporter from the New York Times smells something nefarious and pursues her, to no avail. When the dead body of a beautiful woman is found in a trunk abandoned in Grand Central Station, the highly publicized Trunk Murder breaks open the case against Restell and her murderous network. In the end, justice comes in surprising ways. It is based on a true story.