Garrett is a hardboiled detective living in the city of Tun Faire, a melting pot of different races, cultures, religions, and species.

Block needs Garrett's help to solve a series of grisly murders, in which upper class young ladies are being strung up and gutted in bizarre, ritualistic killings.

Meanwhile, Garrett finds out that Chodo Contague suffered a stroke during his encounter with the Serpent in the previous novel, Dread Brass Shadows, and Crask and Sadler are ruling the crime world in his stead.

When Block and Garrett, along with Relway, an up-and-coming, fanatical, uncorrupt member of the Watch, find the new bearer of the curse, he escapes yet again.

Ultimately, the curse is neutralized, and Belinda Contague overthrows Crask and Sadler and takes over as ruler of the underworld, keeping her father as a figurehead.