In a remote part of the Adirondack Mountains, the wealthy Van Laar family gains control of an extensive parcel of forested land. The Van Laars use their influence to put in place strict rules forbidding development, with the exception of a palatial vacation home for the family and a summer camp for children.

When a paper mill is closed down, the local job market collapses. People in a nearby town have few choices beyond working for the rich family, creating tension between the classes.

A child disappears from the property, but nobody is arrested and charged for the disappearance. Years later, another child disappears. State police launch an investigation. Aided by the efforts of an inexperienced female investigator, long-standing secrets are revealed.