Enim Lund's only goal is to finish his last year of school and to forget the tragedy that involved his mother the Christmas beforehand – a feat that should be easy given that he attends Bickerby Academy an all-boys boarding school on a remote island off the coast of Maine. His plans are thwarted though when a teacher vanishes without explanation and a local girl’s body washes up on shore. With all signs pointing to one of Bickerby’s students Enim’s best friend Jack Hadler convinces him to investigate the crime. As Jack becomes more and more obsessed with finding the killer Enim finds himself consumed by his own responsibility in the accident that befell his mother and neither can find a way to acquit himself of the crime. They soon realize that what's worse than not solving the crime is doing so but having no one believe them.
