Sun, Jan 7, 1973
When a prizefighter is gunned down during a match, the initial speculation is that he was punished for refusing to take a dive. But Joe Mannix, who happened to attend the match, speculates that the bullet may have been meant for someone in the audience -- and a review of the fight film suggests that the real target was Mannix himself. This is reinforced when there is another attempt on Mannix' life -- but the evidence begins to point to someone whom Mannix believes couldn't possibly have tried to commit the murder.
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Sun, Jan 14, 1973
Joe Mannix is visited by Portia and Penelope Penhaven, two elderly, eccentric sisters who insist that Mannix investigate a hit-and-run earlier that day, which damaged one of the headlights on their ancient automobile. Amused by their request, and overborne by Portia's forceful personality, Mannix agrees to look into the matter, but discovers that the vehicle that hit them was taken from a rental lot, apparently without the knowledge of the lot's owner. Digging deeper, however, Mannix soon discovers that the hit-and-run might be related to a murder committed nor far away on that same day.
Sun, Jan 21, 1973
Against Joe's wishes, Peggy agrees to go undercover to gain evidence against a woman named Dodie Green, who is believed to be the source of heroin that caused the death of a teenager whom both Joe and Peggy knew. Peggy manages to work her way into Green's operation, but is unaware that the handsome man who starts to court her is actually working with Green - or that he's seeking to prove that Peggy is a police informant.
Sun, Feb 4, 1973
Gil Ryan, a shady underworld figure, is the star witness in the criminal trial of Lucas Hume, a man with connections to city politics. Then Ryan is gunned down in spite of his police protection, and Hume is found standing over the body, holding the gun that fired the shots. Despite what appears to be an open-and-shut murder case, however, Joe Mannix is hired by Hume's sister, who claims to have had an affair with Ryan -- and wants Mannix to prove that she, not her brother, was the one who shot Ryan.
Sun, Feb 18, 1973
Joe Mannix is hired by wealthy businessman Adam Langer to dig up enough dirt on a politician to destroy the man's career. At first Mannix is unwilling to take the job, until Langer explains that that politician is himself -- that he wants to run for governor and needs to learn what a political opponent might be able to uncover. Mannix initially finds some mildly damaging information on Langer -- but becomes concerned as the witnesses he has interviewed start to meet violent deaths.
Sun, Feb 25, 1973
A hobo known as Boston comes to see Joe Mannix, explaining that someone has recently tried to kill him, and asking Mannix to find out who it is and why. Mannix agrees to look into the matter, and eventually realizes that the distinctive overcoat Boston wears might be what has made him a target -- because he "inherited" the coat from another hobo who might have overheard something about an underworld killing.
Sun, Mar 4, 1973
William Avery is released after serving a prison sentence for embezzlement, but almost immediately dies in a car accident. Someone nevertheless begins to stalk his daughter, apparently believing that she knows where the missing money is hidden. Though Avery's daughter insists that her father was innocent, she hires Joe Mannix to protect her -- and Mannix concludes that the best way to help her is to re-open an investigation of the theft, to find out who from Avery's past would still want to find the missing funds.
Sun, Mar 11, 1973
Joe Mannix is invited to the home of Arthur Danford by an old friend, Barney Edmonds, who is managing Danford's campaign for governor of Hawaii. Mannix recognizes Danford's wife, Laura, as a woman who once had a shady past, which put her on the fringes of a mob killing. Laura confides to Mannix that she is being blackmailed by her old boyfriend, who is threatening to reveal her past life to destroy her husband's political career. Mannix offers to intercede with the blackmailer -- but as he tries to find the blackmailer, each person Mannix locates seems to meet with sudden death.
Sun, Nov 11, 1973
Someone tries to kill world-famous opera diva Barbara Sonderman, who is about to return to the stage after a year's hiatus from performing. She hires Joe Mannix to find out who tried to kill her and why, but Mannix becomes disturbed by evidence suggesting that his client may have withheld information from him. Nevertheless, Mannix pursues a lead involving the death of her father, a policeman in a small town up the coast from Los Angeles -- while also struggling with his own growing feelings for Barbara.
Sun, Dec 9, 1973
Mannix travels to San Francisco to wind up a case. At the airport he spots old flame Jan Holloway, who stood him up some time before. She tells Joe she is really married to a man named Carter Elliott. Several hoods then hustle Mannix away, apparently because he spoke to her -- leading him into a deepening mystery involving $14 million and Mrs. Elliott's apparent death shortly thereafter.