The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Bieker, Chelsea. Godshot. Catapult, 2020.

Lacey May, the 14-year-old narrator, gets her period while watching her mother, Louise, get ready for her assignment. They live in Peaches, a farm town of 1000 people who all worship God and Pastor Vern, the pastor who brought rain seven years ago which cured Peaches of a deadly drought. Recently, the drought is back and Vern forbids the buying of water so the town only drinks soda. Pastor Vern gives all the adults in his congregation assignments, which are meant to be secret. Girl receive their first assignment when they are “of blood,” meaning get their period. Louise sees Lacey is bleeding. She tells Lacey not to tell Vern yet, but Lacey walks to church herself and tells him.

Louise drinks in secret despite promising to Vern to be celibate and sober for salvation. One Sunday, at church, a man in a Turquoise Cowboy hat interrupts Sermon, saying he is there to pick up Louise. Vern banishes Louise for being with men and drinking. Louise protests, saying Vern makes her work at the Diviners, a phone sex house for her assignment and that Lacey can attest she is sober. Lacey cannot lie, and Louise is thrown out.

Lacey is sent to live with Louise’s mother, Cherry. Cherry orders taxidermy rodents which are delivered by a man named Stringy. Stringy flirts with Lacey.

Lacey’s cousin Lyle begins giving her Bible study lessons. One session, he rapes her and tells her Vern said this was their assignment.

Lacey runs to the Diviners. There a girl around her age, named Florin, lets her in, and tells her to speak to Daisy, Florin’s mother and the woman who runs the place. Lacey asks where Louise is, Daisy says she does not know, she only knows Turquoise Cowboy’s number which she cannot give due to confidentiality. Lacey asks to work there, taking over Louise’s calls.

Lacey finds Stringy waiting for her on Cherry’s porch. He buys her a phone so he can text her.

Lacey returns to the Diviners and asks to work. She answers a call, and enjoys acting. When Florin and Daisy are occupied, she looks at the call log and sees a Rick Walden called her mother every day, believing he is Turquoise Cowboy.

Lacey calls the number the next day. She speaks to her mother who says Rick says she will be a television star and is not allowed to be on the phone and hangs up.

Lacey begins working regularly. Daisy notice Lacey is often nauseous. They get her a test and she is pregnant.

At mass, Vern announces that the bible study girls are bringing forth miracles to raise an army to bring rain. After Church, Lyle tells her Vern wants the girls to have babies which will belong to the church to unify the community. Lacey does not want to give away her baby.

Lacey meets Stringy and initiates sex. She plans to say he is the father of her baby; if an infidel is the father, Vern will not want the baby.

She tells Cherry she is pregnant with Stringy’s baby. Cherry marries the two of them and Stringy moves in. At mass, they announce the marriage and pregnancy although Vern is suspicious.

Rick calls the Diviners drunk. Lacey recognizes his voice and gets him to give her his address.

Lacey steals Cherry’s car and tries to drive out of town but is stopped by a man at the border who threatens her with a gun as Vern forbids people to leave.

The bible girls begin saying they are virgins, impregnated by the spirit in the form of a white light. Lacey tries to ask all the girls who really impregnated them but they ignore her.

Lacey fights with Cherry, who admits she knows Lyle raped her.

Lacey asks Florin and Daisy to take her to Rick’s, since their car will not be stopped as they are infidels. They drive to Reno. Lacey goes to Rick’s apartment, where she finds her mother and other woman locked in a dirty room, unbathed. Rick films the woman naked to broadcast live. Louise is on pills Rick gives her. Rick’s quadriplegic wife lies in the corner of the room, where Rick waits for her to die. Louise says she cannot leave now but whispers to Lacey to meet her at the strip club Rick owns tomorrow.

The next day, Louise does not show up at the club. Daisy goes to Rick’s apartment and shoots him in the leg but Louise does not leave, she wants to aid him. They return to Peaches.

Lacey finds Stringy angry. He says he knows the baby is not his and is leaving. He gives her articles about Vern who is a wanted cult leader. Cherry knocks him out and burns the articles.

Daisy, Florin, and Hazel take Lacey to the ocean, which she has never seen, for her baby shower.

When she returns, Vern wait for her at Cherry’s. It is only a week until Birth Day, the day Vern wants the girls to give birth, so he kidnaps her so she cannot run away. Cherry does nothing.

On Birth Day, the young girls are taken to a tarp in a field near Diviners, which has been burned down by Vern. The girls are kept there all day and fed wine to induce labor while the congregation watches. At night, the police appear and shoot Vern dead. The police tell Lacey Louise is the one who called them.

Lacey is taken to the hospital and gives birth to her daughter. A social worker appears and Lacey tells her everything. The worker says she can live with Daisy, who wants to adopt her.

Lacey raises her daughter in Oregon with Daisy and Florin. She calls Louise once a year. realizes she was not meant to have an eternal mother, but to be one.