Haunted nightly by vivid dreams and visitations, Dave Robicheaux finds his only tranquillity at home with his young ward Alafair. But even this fragile peace is shattered by the arrival of Dixie Lee Pugh who brings with him a brutal trail of murder and violence.Robicheaux reluctantly agrees to help out his old friend, but while investigating the series of bloody killings he gets more than he bargains for when he finds himself suspect Number One. And when Alafair's life is threatened Dave must summon all his resources to confront his own demons and the men who want him dead.