Det. Dave Kennedy is investigating a series of young, attractive women committing various forms of disfiguring self-mutilation, in each case the victim stating that she entered into the activity thinking she was doing something else perfectly normal, only to become aware of reality when the pain of the mutilation woke her out of whatever she was otherwise thinking. The case becomes more urgent as the latest victim, the eleventh, died from her injuries. The case turns personal with the twelfth victim, Dodie Wilson, being a friend of his. Dave's girlfriend, Marcia Blaine, believes that what happened to Dodie and the other victims has something to do with Desmond, a hypnotist, the three of them having attended his stage show just prior to what happened to Dodie. Marcia's belief is due to Dodie being brought on stage and featured, under hypnosis, in the final segment of the show. While Dave does believe that people can be hypnotized, he is less than convinced about Marcia's belief as he doesn't think what Desmond does is true hypnotism in the speed that everything happens in the show. Dave's colleague, police psychologist Phil Hecht, tries to convince him otherwise, he further having the view that such hypnosis especially dangerous when cloaked in the form of entertainment. Regardless, Marcia decides to do her own investigation on Desmond against Dave's wants, she playing a dangerous game if she is indeed correct about Desmond's involvement no matter the motive.