Lillian Summer is determined to find out about her new neighbor-whose name she doesn't even learn until a crisis arose. Issues have led him to become a very introverted man, avoiding any interactions with the locals in a semi-rural community in California. Lillian refers to him as the "Grumpy Old Man." She perceives him to be sinister, with ulterior motives that could be dangerous to the community. In her quest, she becomes overly obsessed in her thoughts that keep switching from one extreme to the other.


Lillian uses her father Blake as a catalyst to break the neighbor's silence. She is agonized by shame and guilt upon recognizing that she has misjudged him. The story unravels into something incredible that changes Lillian's outlook on life.