There is a rumour that a spirit haunts the town. Centuries ago, a young woman made a horrifying discovery about herself that resulted in her death. But some say she still lives on...

Another tragedy has more recently befallen the town. A girl named Janie disappeared fifteen years ago without a trace. Her grieving parents became the object of everyone's unceasing attention. For her mother, Annette, the disappearance shaped her guilt and worry into an exquisite public face of resilience. For the father, Calvin, the disappearance broke something in him. He had no such composure, crying uncomfortably on television and prompting some to wonder: could his raw emotions in fact be a performance? Others still have more supernatural suspicions. What if the town's spirit was actually behind this?

Now, fifteen years on, someone comes to help solve the case, a woman with a very unusual background, who knows a thing or two about public grief herself. She might be exactly the thing Annette and Calvin need to help them find their lost daughter. That is, if she doesn't tear their family apart first...