Jessamine is a long way from home. Her home in the Midwest, that is, not New Zealand, where she grew up. She ran from her husband in Kansas, a former military man whose long silences and cutting words were tearing her apart, leaving everything behind to live on an overgrown piece of property she'd inherited somewhere in Virginia.

Thank goodness for book groups. And libraries. When she starts work at the Bent River County Public Library, she is optimistic about her future. But confusion soon settles in, as she deals with an overworked boss who is forced to attend too many meetings, an overpaid co-worker who won't allow anyone to sort old books or order new ones, and a large taxidermied bear that takes up too much space.

As Jessamine clears out the debris left behind in her home, making room for her new life, she starts to notice that Bent River County is not exactly a small-town haven. Something strange is happening, and it is directly related to the library.

When she stands up for what she knows is right, Jessamine attracts all kinds of attention from people who might not want her to share her opinions. After all, Bent River County has always done things a certain way, and it has always been run by certain people. Will Jessamine and her new friends be able to stop the devious antics of the richest man in the county, or will Jessamine pay the ultimate price for trying to make things right?