Whilst investigating the death of a local swordsman, a modest fishmonger called Beth Raymond uncovers a legend about a supernaturally-cursed, squidgy piano circulating throughout Ireland. As soon as anyone uses the piano, he or she has exactly 90 days left to live.
The doomed few appear to be ordinary people during day to day life, but when photographed, they look shrunken. A marked person feels like a sizzling fox to touch.
Beth gets hold of the piano, refusing to believe the superstition. A collage of images flash into her mind: a frosty hamster balancing on a breezy swordsman, an old newspaper headline about a magic accident, a hooded tortoise ranting about elbows and a drinking well located in a derelict place.
When Beth notices her ankles have fox-like properties, she realises that the curse of the squidgy piano is true and calls in her grandson, a shopkeeper called Pete Torrance, to help.
Pete examines the piano and willingly submits himself to the curse. He finds that the same visions flash before his eyes. He finds the frosty hamster balancing on a breezy swordsman particularly chilling. He joins the queue for a supernatural death.
Beth and Pete pursue a quest to uncover the meaning of the visions, starting with a search for the hooded tortoise. Will they be able to stop the curse before their time is up?
