Plot Summary: Mobile, Alabama. At work, strict supervisor of nurses, Martha Beck, a chronic overeater, lives with her difficult elderly mother, catches an orderly in the laboratory with one of the nurses, experimenting with "ammonia and chloride". At home, Martha's friend Bunny has sent away to a dating agency for Martha. "Aunt Carrie's Friendship Club" can open the door to "exciting new friendships". When the literature arrives, Bunny encourages Martha to write in, and she soon receives her first response, from Raymond Fernandez, who claims it is his first attempt, despite the rows of photos of young women on his desk. Martha starts a correspondence with Ray. Photos, locks of hair are exchanged, and a long-distance love affair begins. When Raymond soon arrives from New York, mother gets an extra glass of champagne and sleeping pill. Ray dances in front of Martha and they have sex. Ray has to return to New York for his business and Martha is left behind listening to the Latin dance music that reminds her of Ray, when she receives a goodbye telegram from Ray. Bunny calls Ray and pretends that Martha has attempted suicide. Ray replies that he loves Martha and suggests that she come to New York and visit him. Ray explains that he has married, robbed and killed many women before, and shows her the photos of his wives. Martha, however, remains committed and they plan to meet in Mobile and marry after he takes this next victim. In her absence, Martha's boss searches her desk, discovers her steamy correspondence, and fires Martha due to the threat of a "Lonely Hearts" scandal, which the hospital can't afford. She tells everyone in Mobile that she is married to Ray, which enrages Ray, who is scheduled to marry Doris this week. Ray tells Martha she should rather kill her mother than bring her along and Martha rents mother a small apartment and abandons her. Martha announces "Maybe Hitler was right about you people". Martha leaves to her mother's cries of "God damn you!". The plan is to have Raymond marry and then rob her. One of the wives hasn't told anyone where she is. Raymond is not impressed with the way Martha handles things. Martha is more and more jealous of Raymond's relationship with the women. She gives one some pills. Martha mentions to the woman that people who sigh a lot are unstable. Martha is constantly angry. Raymond is oily cool. Martha is insanely jealous and tries to drown herself. Raymond hates Valley stream, their new house. One little jail after another. Raymond goes out to hook another fish and Martha hooks another box of chocolates. An older woman is on line--she's a little more careful with the doe than the others, her money's in the bank. They finally inveigle her into signing a check for the $10,000. This is constitutionally suspicious, and demands to see the check. Try as they might, they can't give her sleeping pills. Finally, they have to bash her head in, and bury her in the cellar at Valley Stream. The victims are all religious and patriotic. One of the women has been sleeping with Ray whenever Martha goes out. She decides to confide in Martha. Was that a good idea? Martha goes to work. Raymond still claims he never slept with Delphin. That doesn't work for Martha. She calls the police. Morristown, NJ. Ray marries middle-aged teacher Doris and introduces Martha as his sister. Martha becomes enraged when Ray spends time giggling in the bathroom with Doris. Martha steals Doris' money, Ray returns and they mate while she bathes. When Doris discovers her two rings and her $2000 dollars missing, she moves out. Martha and Ray head out to meet Myrtle, who will pay Ray, alias "Charles Martin", $4000 to marry her before she gives birth. Again, Martha is terribly jealous of the new wife as Myrtle gives Ray his wedding gift, a hairpiece. As Myrtle visits Ray in the night Martha looks on, then Martha and Myrtle argue. Myrtle vows that soon Ray will move to Little Rock with her family. Martha gives Ray a handful of pills, which he gives to Myrtle, and the next day, Ray, promising to follow soon, puts the dying Myrtle on a bus to Arkansas and she expires on board. Martha and Ray visit Evelyn Long in Pittsfield, MA. Martha complains bitterly that their plan to live a staid existence in a small house in New York is not working out-in Pittsfield she must stay in a hotel. Ray and Evelyn frolic in a lake, while Martha seethes. When Ray and Evelyn lay down on a blanket, Martha screams "You promised!" and swims out to drown herself, hearing the voices of all involved in her terrible experience. Ray saves her and Evelyn is shocked by his loving care for her. On the long drive back to New York, Ray offers to look for a house in the suburbs. In Albany, NY, Janet Fay calls her friend Lucy to tell her of her dream man "Charles Martin" who wrote from the club. In their new little house in Valley Stream, NY, Ray blasts Martha for sitting around and eating chocolate and reading gossip magazines. Suburbia is hell for Ray, still, he promises, as soon as they have enough money, they will marry. They head to Albany to visit Janet, who is somewhat older than her advertised 56, Ray dons his hairpiece, dyes his temples gray (he's 45 now) and heads to Janet's while Martha eats a box of chocolates. Ray and Janet go to church and pray, and Ray returns certain that Janet has $10,000. At tea with Janet and Lucy on New Year's Eve, Janet and "Charles" announce their wedding. Martha and Ray are so impressed by Janet's hideous homemade hat, they suggest that with $10,000 she could open a hat business in New York, and Janet reluctantly treats them to a celebratory cafeteria meal. Back in New York, Janet and Ray hang Janet's portraits of Christ. A January 5 wedding is planned and Ray tricks Janet into signing her checks. While Martha and Ray hide Janet's checks in the cellar, they pretend to be locked in and have sex. Janet can't sleep with all the signed checks in the house and wants to know from Martha where the checks are, then wants to call her children, Albert and Sara. Martha smacks Janet, who flees to Ray who is suddenly cold and throws her to the floor. As it slowly dawns on her, Janet suddenly doesn't want her checks anymore, only to go for a walk. Martha and Ray each hit her once with a hammer then Ray strangles her, drops his pants on her face, and has sex with Martha. Ray makes goodbye letters to Janet's children from the wedding announcements he had her sign. Martha and Ray spend the three weeks until February 12, visiting the soldier's widow Delphin and her daughter Rainelle. After a birthday party for Abraham Lincoln, Ray promises this will be his penultimate wife. Ray and Martha plan to visit a woman in Grand Rapids on Valentine's Day, but Delphin asks Martha for her help, she wants to marry ray immediately, she is pregnant. She tells Martha how sorry she is, as Ray had told her that due to Martha's old-fashioned morality, they should hide their physical relations from her. A stunned Martha offers her help under the condition that Delphin do everything she say, namely, take pills that will cause an abortion. Since she doesn't take enough pills, they shoot her with her own revolver. Martha convinces Rainelle to visit mommy and her new dog in the cellar, where Martha shoots the little girl. While Ray goes down to bury the victims, he suggests they head to New Orleans to enjoy Mardi Gras with a prospective wife and that Martha should pack. He renews his promise not to touch any wives and claims he has been faithful for the last for weeks. Brokenhearted, Martha calls the police and reports shots and strange goings on in the cellar. As the doorbell rings, she removes Ray's hairpiece. In prison, Martha heads to court and an officer hands her a letter from Ray: Martha is the only woman Ray has ever loved or will ever love. A caption informs that Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez were electrocuted on March 8, 1951 in Sing Sing.