Narcissus in Chains continues the adventures of Anita Blake. In this novel, Anita attempts to reconnect with her friends and allies after a lengthy separation, and to undo the damage caused by her absence. Even as Anita attempts to repair the damage and come to terms with her newly developing powers, she is also threatened by a series of attacks and disappearances within the shapeshifter community. She has sex with a shape-shifter in a shower. As with the other later novels in the series, Narcissus in Chains blends elements of supernatural, detective and erotic fiction.
As with previous novels, "Narcissus in Chains" refers to a location within the novel itself. In this case, "Narcissus in Chains" is the name of a dominance and submission nightclub operated by Narcissus, a werehyena who is himself named after Narcissus of Greek myth.