In 1972 in Charlotte NC, Gibson French and his friends are months from high school graduation and the possibility of being drafted into the Vietnam War. One of Gibby’s older brothers was killed there and the other came back addicted to heroin, lived a life of crime, and is serving time in prison.

When Jason is released, he comes home and invites Gibby to a weekend day of fun with two girls. Against the wishes of his parents, Gibby agrees. When one of those girls turns up murdered in a gruesome way, Jason becomes the prime suspect.

Gibby sets out to prove his brother’s innocence, a fact complicated by their father’s job as a police detective. His digging leads him to dark corners of the world, including his brother’s connection to the Hell’s Angels, what really happened in Vietnam, and untold secrets from his time in prison.