On New Year's Day, a young woman's body is found on a quiet beach. Her mother is devastated and denies the coroner's finding that her child died from misadventure. Despite her own personal tragedy, Lily O'Hara, with Mick Flynn, immerses herself in the case. In her search, she encounters a complex group of young people who have both loved and loathed the dead girl. Lily is seen as a saviour to some and a danger to others.

The price of knowledge and the cost of love are always high.