A newspaper photographer, Jean Janes, travels to the Isles of Shoals off the New Hampshire coast with her husband Thomas, an award-winning poet; his brother Rich, and Rich's girlfriend Adaline. She is researching the murder of two immigrant women in 1873. In a twist of fate, Jean discovers archived papers that appear to give an account of the murders. According to the papers, a third woman, a Norwegian immigrant named Maren Hontvedt, survived the attack by Louis Wagner.
The plot unfolds the narrative of the papers and Hontvedt's testimony against Wagner. Jean privately struggles with jealousy as Adaline openly flirts with Jean's husband; and he openly appreciates Adaline's beauty, interest in his work, and her tendency to suck on ice and food like she's performing fellatio.