Charmed Noir/Plot

The librarian of the Magic School library, Miss Donovan, is arguing with the Literature Professor, Mr. Monkeyshines, who finds a number of the available books to be politically incorrect (for example Harry Potter). Paige takes the side of Miss Donovan. She picks up a book with the title Crossed, Double-Crossedand Monkeyshines calls it "garbage" but he clearly has not read it, and Paige argues in favor of 1930s-era detective novels. Leo calls Paige away and Monkeyshines, now curious, opens the book and is drawn into it. Leo asks Paige to watch over Wyatt andChris so he can have some time with Piper. When Paige returns, she and Miss Donovan find Mr. Monkeyshines shot dead. Miss Donovan notes that twenty years earlier, a student had been shot dead by his brother.

At P3, Piper is cleaning a glass when it suddenly turns into a rose. Bunches of roses appear all across the bar and Leo walks in. He seems to be happy again and tries to reconnect with Piper, but she is reluctant. After she walks away, two fellow Avatars appear and try to make him embrace his new powers, but Leo only wants Piper.

Paige goes to Brody and he comes with her to Magic School. He tests Miss Donovan's hands and determines that she did not shoot the gnome. Miss Donovan names Eddie Mullen as the student who had shot his brother. On finding the book, Paige and Brody note the name "Mullen Brothers" on the cover. He opens the book and he and Paige are drawn inside.

They find themselves in a black-and-white world with 1930s-era cars, and are threatened by three goons with tommy guns, who suspect them of being after "the Falcon". They steal clothes to blend in and Paige adopts the name Lana, after Lana Turner. Paige realizes that the Mullen boy had probably been shot in the book, and that his brother Eddie was most likely still in the book.

Miss Donovan notes that the book has been moved. Phoebe picks it up and gets a vision; she knows what happened to Paige and Brody. She and Piper take the book to the Manor and call for Leo.

Paige and Brody go to the Mullen Brothers Detective Agency and meet with Eddie Mullen and "Johnny the Gent," who had sent the three goons. Eddie and Johnny say everyone is after the "Burmese Falcon." Paige tells Eddie that she and Brody came from his school and they need his help to get back. They talk to Eddie in private. He says that corrupt cops had killed his brother, Dan. After a phone call from Johnny, Eddie claims to have received an anonymous tip regarding the Falcon. Eddie, Paige and Brody leave in Eddie's car.

Leo opens the book, apparently knowing what he is doing, and it tries to draw him in. Two other Avatars appear, standing behind Piper and Phoebe so that only Leo sees them; the Avatars gesture and the book is now safe to read. Phoebe sees the book apparently writing itself; Eddie is driving Paige and Brody into a trap, but Phoebe starts writing and in the book, Eddie has a flat tire. Phoebe's intervention is in vain, as crooked cops appear; Eddie tells Paige and Brody that the story can never end. Phoebe tries to write more, but no pen seems to work.

Two cops interrogate Paige and Brody separately about the Falcon, but of course, they know nothing. Paige, on a hint from Phoebe, flirts with her interrogator, steals his gun and rescues Brody.

Leo and Piper meet with Eddie's mother. She says that Dan had wanted him to feel confident, to become a hero, by helping him write the book. Leo and Piper decide they must help Eddie finish the story.

Brody tries to convince Paige that Johnny, not the cops, killed Dan. Paige still wants to go after the gangsters, but Leo, Piper and Phoebe realize she needs to find Eddie. Phoebe writes in a falling piano to change Paige's mind. Brody and Paige enter Eddie's office, but find Johnny there. He shoots Brody, but finds Paige a "knockout" and spares her. Eddie walks in and Paige tells him that Johnny had killed Dan; Johnny tries to shoot Paige but his gun is empty, presumably thanks to Phoebe.

Phoebe writes in a flashback and Eddie sees how Dan died; Johnny thinks that Dan has the Falcon and demands its location. Dan refuses, and Johnny shoots him. The police sirens wail as Paige convinces Eddie to end the story as Johnny threatens to break Paige's neck. Eddie opens a safe hidden behind a picture, and removes the Falcon from it. He smashes the Falcon against the floor; the story ends, its MacGuffin now destroyed.

Eddie, Paige and Brody find themselves in the manor. Leo heals Brody's gunshot wound. The book now credits authorship to "the Mullen brothers and the Halliwell sisters".