In the sultry swamplands of 1960s Florida, a determined journalist, Ward Jansen, returns to his hometown with his writing partner, Yardley Acheman, to investigate a potentially wrongful conviction. Hillary Van Wetter, an unsavory and volatile swamp dweller, is on death row for the murder of a corrupt local sheriff. Drawn to the case by a series of letters, Ward's younger brother, Jack—a paper delivery boy with little purpose—becomes infatuated with the story, hoping it will provide him a chance to escape his mundane routine. The driving force behind Ward's involvement is Charlotte Bless, a seductive woman with a disquieting fascination with prisoners, who believes in Hillary's innocence and will stop at nothing to secure his release.

As the investigation unfolds, Ward, Yardley, Jack, and Charlotte find themselves wading deeper into a quagmire of deceit, prejudice, and hidden agendas. The sweltering heat of Florida serves as a fitting backdrop to the rising tension as they sift through a tangle of evidence and testimonies. The situation is further complicated by Jack's burgeoning obsession with Charlotte, whose mysterious past and intentions blur the lines between ally and manipulator. Amidst the gathering storms of social change and the oppressive weight of secrets, each character must confront the murky truths of their own desires and moralities.