In the small town of Lawford in the US state of New Hampshire, Sheriff Wade Whitehouse, a divorced drunkard and father of a daughter, is trying to get his life under control. But with a domineering father and a corrupt town council as his employers, this proves to be very difficult. When a trade unionist who was due to give evidence in a national corruption trial is killed in a hunting accident, Wade believes it was murder. Against all odds, he begins to investigate and runs the risk of his life being turned upside down for good.