As soon as 41-year-old Sheila hears the news, she knows the police will be calling. One of the countrys preeminent feminist scholarsand one of Sheilas oldest friendshas been found murdered, a baby doll fixed to her hands. Twenty years before, these women had made a pact, swearing to follow the example of The Others, women the Torah considered childless, but they saw as willingly child-free.

But the years have not all been kind to The Others, and now, with her life on the line, Sheila will have to decide who among her shrinking social circle can be trustedand who wants to make her pay the ultimate price.