Atlanta sports writer Cal Murphy travels deep into the Louisiana bayou to investigate the mysterious death of a five-star high school football recruit in the small town of Saint-Parran. What he finds is a sinister secret hidden beneath a tussle between boosters from two major college football programs fighting for the services of another local recruit. In pursuit of a story that will reinvigorate his writing career -- and save his marriage -- Murphy uncovers a deadly secret and must decide how far he's willing to go to reveal the truth that could undermine the integrity of the sport.