Vic is engaged by Henry Swan, Hollywood's biggest black film star; who is in Liverpool to promote his latest movie. Swan has a rather delicate problem and needs all of Vic's unique skills to track down blackmailers, who are hoping to extort three pieces of the 'Nine Lives' from him. If that isn't difficult enough, a mysterious female killer is on the trail of the three pieces and is aided and abetted by a hard man from the North East, who makes Everton Cosgrove look like a choir boy. In a rip roaring finale, Prince risks his own life to help Swan and keep the curios out of enemy hands.