The story of Damian and Carrie Rose is one of cold-blooded murder. The two are hired to create chaos on the island of San Dominica. Through a series of double crosses, both are left presumably dead. Damian has just committed a murder when Peter Macdonald rounds a corner on his bicycle and sees Damian. Peter tells his story to everyone who'll listen, including the police, but officials have already decided that the blame for the murders lies with Dassie "Monkey" Dred, an island revolutionary. They focus all their energies searching for him.

Through a convoluted plot, the United States Government and the Florenza Family of the West Coast - an established Mafia family - join forces to hire Damian and Carrie Rose to create havoc on the resort island of San Dominica.The purpose is apparently to put pressure on island officials to legalize gambling. The Rose's plan is to kill specific people, though not all their victims seem to be chosen for any particular purpose. Over the few days of the "season," Damian Rose shoots a large number of people. Then two mercenaries, an African named Kingfish Toone and a Cuban named Blinkie Thomas, hack the victims to bits with machetes. In several of the cases, the men then leave a machete in the sand beside the bodies.

Meral Johnson is the chief of police. Johnson admits that he's out of his league with regard to investigating the murders. He works to make a connection between a series of seemingly random events that include the shooting death of Leon Ratchet - an associate of Monkey Dred and convicted murderer himself. The killer is then murdered in his own jail cell - hacked to death with a machete. The act is one example of the ability of Carrie and Damian Rose to orchestrate events. Carrie Rose also kills Carol Hill, wife of Harold "Harry the Hack" Hill as a message to Hill and CIA agent Brooks Campbell.

Campbell is part of the plot and is furious when he discovers that Peter Macdonald saw Rose. Campbell is the one who gives Peter a glimpse into the true reasons behind the murders, including the Mafia's involvement. Over the course of the days it takes for the "season" to end, there are a series of double crosses. Carrie Rose hires a lady of the evening to check into a particular motel room and police shoot the lady, believing her to be Carrie Rose. Carrie also reportedly sells out Damian's escape plan, leading him to be captured and killed.

The Roses bring Monkey Dred in, arming the revolutionary who seemed to be floundering with little direction before the Roses intervene. The plot thickens as more bystanders are found to be involved. Peter's girlfriend, Jane, is eventually killed, and Peter becomes interested only in revenge. The book ends after the apparent deaths of Damian and Carrie Rose. Though Peter makes no comment on Damian's death, the final pages reveal that Peter has joined forces with Meral Johnson in a search for Carrie Rose.