Three women of different generations are bound together by history and mystery: Louise Wright, 19th century; her 20th century great-granddaughter, Lou McManus, and Kapi McManus, Lou's teenaged step-granddaughter, each full of conflicts, questions, and contradictions.

Two historical storylines run parallel, converging as Lou and Kapi explore the mystery of Louise Wright. Louise Wright, soon to marry the reverend's son, falls in love with a Native American, and gives birth to their multicultural baby. Three generations later, Lou McManus and Kapi, seeming to share nothing, are saddled with each other when Kapi's mother dies. However, they discover a shared love of history, local and personal.

In their explorations of Louise Wright's story, Kapi is convinced Louise was Native American, infuriating Lou, who was brought up to revile natives. The two of them try to work through devastating losses, generational differences, snarled opinions, and historical excavations in their searches.