Disgraced journalist Michael Finkel is terminated from The New York Times for fabricating elements in a story. Retreating to his Montana home, Finkel's world collides with an unexpected and intense scenario when he learns that Christian Longo, an Oregon man wanted for the murder of his wife and three children, has been captured in Mexico after assuming Finkel's identity. Intrigued and seeing a potential career revival, Finkel agrees to meet Longo in prison. Longo claims innocence and proposes a collaboration where he will reveal his side of the story in exchange for writing guidance from Finkel.

As Finkel digs deeper into Longo's narrative, he becomes increasingly entangled in the psychological complexity of his subject. The line between truth and deception blurs, testing Finkel's journalistic ethics and emotional resilience. Meanwhile, Longo manipulates each interaction to weave a web of ambiguity around his alleged crimes. With the trial approaching, Finkel must grapple with his own moral compass and the growing realization that his quest for the truth may lead him down a dangerously dark path. As events unfold, Finkel's professional and personal lives become perilously intertwined with Longo's, culminating in a confrontation that forces him to confront his very sense of self.