To make Sidney's writing slump even more painful, Clifford Anderson, a student in one of Sidney's writing seminars, has recently sent his mentor a copy of his first attempt at playwriting for review and advice. Clifford’s play, Deathtrap, is a two act thriller so perfect in its construction that, as Sidney says states even a master playwright could not hurt it. Using his affinity for plot, and out of his desperate desire to once again be the toast of Broadway, Sidney, along with Myra, cook up an almost unthinkable scheme. They'll lure the Clifford to the Bruhl home, kill him, and market the sure-fire script as Sidney's own. But shortly after Clifford arrives, it's clear that things are not what they seem.