The early death of a small town councilman reveals deep-rooted conflicts in the seemingly idyllic community of Pagford, which rapidly deteriorates in the face of cultural disputes, generation clashes, and a volatile election.

Rejecting the police ruling that her boyfriend Chris, who is one of the few Black kids in town, has run away, Jessie begins writing him a letter describing her search for answers and the backlash from their community.

Matt Coburn faces a nearly impossible task when he seeks to establish law and order in Confusion, a Western town full of tough gunmen and outlaws. "For thousands of years the lonely canyon knew only wind and rain, wild animals, and an occasional native hunter. Then a trapper found a chunk of gold, and everything changed overnight. In six days a town called Confusion appeared-- and on the seventh it could disappear, consumed by the flames of lawlessness...