After becoming embroiled in one of Louisiana's oldest and bloodiest gangland feuds, Detective Dave Robicheaux must battle the most terrifying adversary he has ever encountered - the merciless Shondell and Balangie families are long-time enemies in the New Iberia criminal underworld. Yet their youngest heirs, Johnny and Isolde - star-crossed teenaged lovers - have run away together. As he tried to uncover the reasons why, Robicheaux gets too close to both Isolde's mother and her father's mistress. In retribution, Balangie - as jealous as he is cruel - hires an assassin to hunt Robicheaux and his long-time partner, Clete Purcel. This hitman is unlike any the two have ever faces - able to materialise without warning, and to introduce horrifying hallucinations in his victims. In order to defeat him and rescue the young lovers, Robicheaux will have to overcome the demons that have tormented him his whole life.