Forced to return to his hometown after the death of his parents, Nate Fretwell reconnects with his two oldest friends, eccentric but loveable Hect Naylor, and Rafe Manteau, born into a family ruled for generations by violence and cruelty. Haunted by the discovery of his father's hidden journal, Nate seeks out a debauched poet who he believes can answer his many questions. The poet's beautiful daughter, wary of her father's motives, reluctantly agrees...