畅销恐怖小说作家萨特·凯恩(尤尔根·普洛斯诺 Jürgen Prochnow 饰)离奇失踪。由他撰写即将出版印刷的一部分小说手稿也随之神秘消失。凯恩身临其境的描写和大胆前瞻的预测,让此书还未出版就享有盛誉。很多粉丝如痴如醉的陷入他的作品之中不能自拔,甚至做出失去理性的暴力行为。
为了不耽误出版,出版商找来私家侦探约翰·特伦特(山姆·尼尔 Sam Neill 饰)和女编辑琳达·斯泰尔斯(朱莉·卡门 Julie Carmen 饰)一起追查凯恩的下落。约翰起初并不相信此书的魔力,然而当他和琳达到达凯恩笔下所写的小镇的时候,两人都震惊了。这个小镇真的如同凯恩所描绘的一样,而小说里恐怖诡异的事情也旋即发生
Inspired by such notable erotic thrillers of the ’80s and ’90s as Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct and Single White Female, Compulsion centers around the dynamically twisted relationship between two women, as both become embroiled in a series of horrific murders on the island of Malta. Kirk’s character, Diana, is described as a flamboyant and ruthless thief; Sieklucka’s Evie, as a seemingly innocent young woman with a troubled past and a dark secret.
When the young Filipino au pair Ruby disappears from one of Denmark's most affluent neighborhoods north of Copenhagen, the neighbor, Cecilie, becomes convinced that something has happened to her. Cecilie's au pair, Angel, begins to investigate the rumors circulating, while suspicions of a crime grow. However, the case of the missing foreigner is a low priority for the police, and the newly minted investigator Aicha needs all the assistance she can get. Cecilie and Angel are ready to help, and gradually the power structures and privileges within the beautiful homes start to expose. Yet, Cecilie's commitment to uncovering the truth is put to the test when Ruby's disappearance reveals connections reaching into Cecilie's own family. She is forced to confront her blind spots and view her family and the environment in which she is raising her children in a whole new light.