Set in the small, rural community of Augusta Falls, Georgia, the novel is narrated by Joseph Vaughan, who recounts his life beginning in the 1930s and 40s. After his father's death, Joseph's life is defined by a series of brutal assaults and murders of young girls that plague the community for a decade. Although he and his friends form a group called 'The Guardians' to try and protect the town, the killer evades them, and Joseph is left with the haunting guilt of being powerless to prevent the tragedies. The killings seemingly stop after a neighbor, suspected by the townspeople, is found dead, a victim of apparent suicide with articles belonging to the dead girls around him. Unable to escape the trauma of his youth, Joseph leaves for New York to pursue a career as a writer. However, decades later, the past violently resurfaces when it appears the real murderer is still alive and killing again, forcing Joseph to confront the terrible secret of the killer's identity, which is inextricably linked to his own history.
