When Mark is invited back to Leilas flat and ordered to strip he expects the experience of his life. Waking later to find Leila gone he opens the wrong door and finds hes entered a nightmare; behind the swaying Barbie dolls that hang from the ceiling is the body of the girl he just had sex with. Rhona Macleods investigation reveals the red silk cord used to hang Leila to be a cingulum a Wiccan artifact used in sex magick. Sketches of sexual partners hidden in the dolls provide a link to nine men but who are they? As the investigation continues it looks likely that other witches will be targeted too. Also investigating is newly demoted DS Michael McNab eager to stay sober and redeem himself with Rhona but the case threatens his resolve. Soon McNab realizes Freya may hold the key to identifying the men linked to the dolls but the Nine will do anything to keep their identities a secret.