Gordon Dunn, a visionary scientific pioneer, creates a machine that can extract and play back people's memories. Shortly after unveiling his groundbreaking invention, he is mysteriously found dead. Sam Bloom, a troubled man with a painful past, becomes intrigued by Gordon's death. Motivated by both personal reasons and a desire for truth, Sam steals the device from Gordon’s widow, Carolyn, and begins investigating the case. Using the memory machine, Sam examines Gordon's recorded sessions with various clients, piecing together a puzzling web of interconnected lives and unsolved problems.

As Sam delves deeper into the memories of others, he confronts unsettling truths about human nature and memory itself. He encounters a wide range of individuals who had entrusted their most intimate recollections to Gordon's device, each memory fragment shedding light on the circumstances surrounding Gordon's demise. Along his journey, Sam must navigate his own haunting recollections and reconcile with his past. The search for clarity leads him through unexpected meetings and surprising revelations, drawing him ever closer to an understanding of what truly happened.