As the new kid in a small town, eleven-year-old Mars Brewer is bored and friendless until he meets Lenny at the local nature preserve. The only problem is that Lenny disappeared a year ago and is presumed to be dead. Mars soon discovers that Martins Falls doesn't just have an issue with ghosts-it's also a dangerous place to be an adolescent. Accidents strike kids without warning and it's not long before Mars is in danger of sharing Lenny's fate. Mars and a small group of misfits, all scarred from disturbing accidents, team up to investigate the origins of Martins Falls and how, in trying to protect its residents, the town's founder may have damned anyone who grows to adulthood within its borders.