"Gentry Coats' fatal overdose stuns a small community in North Carolina, triggering a series of tragic events that threaten the town's traditional values. It triggers a mental breakdown in his best friend, a police officer, whose wife grapples with the burden of her vows in the face of her husband's disturbing behavior. Bitter and lonely, Gentry's mother struggles to place blame surrounding the death of her oldest son, while her younger son retreats into a strange and devastating isolation. And, on the outskirts of town, an eight-year old girl and her older sister cope with an unspeakable secret. All while the patriarchs of the community sit together gossiping at the local diner, trusting the Lord to heal the afflictions that haunt their beloved town."--Provided by publisher.