Whilst investigating the death of a local computer programmer, a modest nurse called Toby Giantbulb uncovers a legend about a supernaturally-cursed, ribbed record circulating throughout Scotland. As soon as anyone uses the record, he or she has exactly 75 days left to live.
The doomed few appear to be ordinary people during day to day life, but when photographed, they look mirrored. A marked person feels like a quiet snake to touch.
Toby gets hold of the record, refusing to believe the superstition. A collage of images flash into his mind: a creepy monkey balancing on a dirty computer programmer, an old newspaper headline about a safari accident, a hooded badger ranting about moles and a drinking well located in a cosy place.
When Toby notices his hands have snake-like properties, he realises that the curse of the ribbed record is true and calls in his granddaughter, a mechanic called Susan Williams, to help.
Susan examines the record and willingly submits herself to the curse. She finds that the same visions flash before his eyes. She finds the creepy monkey balancing on a dirty computer programmer particularly chilling. She joins the queue for a supernatural death.
Toby and Susan pursue a quest to uncover the meaning of the visions, starting with a search for the hooded badger. Will they be able to stop the curse before their time is up?