The notorious critic Jeremy Grove, who managed to make many enemies during his career, was found dead in the attic of his own house. His charred body is literally fried from the inside, scorched traces of cloven hooves are clearly visible on the floor nearby, and there is a smell of sulfur in the air. Could it be that the devil himself was at work here? Or is Grove's terrible death explained by much more material reasons? As he begins to investigate this unique case, FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast faces an enemy no less sophisticated and insidious than the enemy of the human race...