In this paper, a layered-carbon-$Fe_3O_4$ (LC-$Fe_3O_4$) hybrid material was synthesized through a facile one-pot solvothermal method and used as the adsorbent for the preconcentration of some phthalate esters (dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, diallyl phthalate, diisobutyl phthalate and benzyl butyl phthalate) in water samples. The effects of the adsorbent dosage, extraction time, the solution pH and salinity on the adsorption of the phthalate esters (PAEs) were investigated. The magnetic nanocomposite adsorbent could remove and enrich the PAEs from water samples efficiently. After the adsorption, the analytes were desorbed and then determined by high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factors of the method for the analytes were in the range from 161 to 180. A linear response with peak area as the quantification signal was observed in the concentration range from 0.5 to $100ng;mL^{-1}$. The limits of detection (S/N = 3) of the method were between 0.08 and $0.1ng;mL^{-1}$. The method was suitable for the determination of trace phthalate esters in environmental water samples.