Renowned investigator Kembral Thorne is determined to enjoy herself at the year-turning ball despite the presence of her nemesis, notorious cat burglar Rika Nonesuch. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work.

At the heart of the mayhem is a mysterious clock that sends the ballroom down into strange and otherworldly new layers of reality every time it chimes. As the party plunges through increasingly dangerous versions of their city, Kem will have to rely on her wits - and Rika - to unravel the mystery before catastrophe is unleashed on their world.