Amidst the large rolling green hills and the high white capped peaks of the Appalachians, world traversing journalist Elliot Shaw finds himself in a life altering situation mirroring the tragic loss little Avalon, North Carolina faces. From the other side of the world, Elliot learns of the deadly accident his wife and son have just been in on the country roads of their summer getaway. After making his way back to the Carolinas, questions arise from within the small, secretive town, a town that is going through its own upheaval that's sparked attention from outsiders. Stationed amidst the disaster by his magazine Poise in Politics, Elliot and the Town of Avalon are forced to reconcile themselves to the new balance fate has set. It doesn't take long, however, to find this new equilibrium pulled out from under the unsuspecting journalist as he discovers the truth behind a well kept secret. Elliot's journey takes him parallel to the various social and political trends pervading a nation that more and more seems on the precipice of disaster.