A young farmer witnesses a patricide which he is convinced is an accident. He is faced with unexpected threats from a friend of the deceased and must decide how far he is willing to go, what he is willing to risk, to see justice done. At the same time, a beautiful, young woman of mixed-race arrives in the small community. Unexpected revelations about her paternity cause her to question her racial identity and who she is. Soon the man who has threatened our young farmer becomes obsessed with this exotic young woman. His ensuing actions trigger unforeseen events. Beside Still Waters vividly recreates another time and place as it deals with ordinary people coping with issues of faith, ethical choice, racial identity, justice, retribution, and redemption, as well as the implications of the Civil War and slavery, issues that are, if anything, more relevant today than ever.