A stray hiker reports finding a partially decomposed body on Mt Lafayette in the “North Country” – the top third of New Hampshire around and the Franconia Notch – where the rugged terrain and sparse population provides the space and isolation to keep any number of secrets. Cliff Codey and Mike Eldrich – New Hampshire State Troopers with the Investigative Services Bureau – set out to solve the case in spite of the weather, reticent locals, and a bored, nosy New York reporter and his
ambitious girlfriend who compete with the troopers to discover the victim’s identity. As the investigation widens, both teams contend with a variety of local residents who have secrets they don’t wish to share. A shadow from Cliff’s past soon intrudes on the current investigation, complicating matters further. All these threads combine as the killer prepares to take action to keep his secret and himself safe.