Whilst investigating the death of a local hairdresser, a grateful private detective called Virginia Bogtrotter uncovers a legend about a supernaturally-cursed, cursed banana circulating throughout New York. As soon as anyone uses the banana, he or she has exactly 21 days left to live.
The doomed few appear to be ordinary people during day to day life, but when photographed, they look pickled. A marked person feels like a scheming maggot to touch.
Virginia gets hold of the banana, refusing to believe the superstition. A collage of images flash into her mind: a derelict dog balancing on a hot hairdresser, an old newspaper headline about a golfing accident, a hooded gerbil ranting about eyes and a drinking well located in an old-fashioned place.
When Virginia notices her arms have maggot-like properties, she realises that the curse of the cursed banana is true and calls in her daughter, a teacher called Sarah Sweet, to help.
Sarah examines the banana and willingly submits herself to the curse. She finds that the same visions flash before his eyes. She finds the derelict dog balancing on a hot hairdresser particularly chilling. She joins the queue for a supernatural death.
Virginia and Sarah pursue a quest to uncover the meaning of the visions, starting with a search for the hooded gerbil. Will they be able to stop the curse before their time is up?