Prior to the beginning of the novel, 16-year-old Leigh’s parents were mysteriously murdered, and Leigh, traumatized, attempted to kill herself. After surviving, Leigh was sent to live with her distant relatives, the Simmons family, in their manor, Simmons-Pierce Manor. Leigh’s father had been a police officer, and Leigh is also close with Ty Millbank, her father’s friend and co-worker. The novel opens with Leigh arriving at the manor and meeting her new family: Tristin Simmons, the stern head of the massive Simmons-Pierce Shipping Company, his wife Peg, and their 19-year-old daughter Myra. Myra and Leigh quickly bond, and Myra tells Leigh about Ichabod Pierce, a deceased relative whose ghost haunts the manor in two forms: Little Bodie, representing his childhood self, and Big Bodie, representing his adult self. Though both ghosts are initially hostile to Leigh, she eventually bonds with Little Bodie and learns about his life. Leigh also meets several other figures associated with the family and the company, including Tristin’s trusted employees Oliver Massy and Marcus Figueroa, and Nacho Dominguez, the groundskeeper at the manor.

Leigh learns that her parents were murdered at a shipping dock owned by the Simmons-Pierce company. She begins to investigate the company and the murder. One night, she sneaks into Tristin’s office and Little Bodie temporarily possesses her to help her escape. Disturbed by the encounter, Leigh runs away from the manor on her father’s motorcycle, but she is found by Marcus while investigating the docks. Upon her return to the manor she is assigned a governess and therapist named Miss Tree, who mainly patronizes and belittles Leigh. Despite Ty, Marcus, Tristin, Nacho, and Miss Tree all encouraging Leigh to stop pursuing her investigation, she refuses to give up. She gets herself invited to a company party and uses it as an opportunity to sneak into Marcus’s office, where she finds a secret file on Oliver Massy.

Later, the company is raided by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), and it is revealed that Oliver was doing insider trading and embezzling from the company, hence Marcus having a file on Oliver. As Oliver is arrested, he is suddenly murdered. Later, someone comes to the home with the intention of killing Leigh, but they are killed by Big Bodie. However, the police believe that Leigh is the one who killed him. The next day, Nacho claims to have received a call from the police to bring the family to a safe house. However, this is a ruse, and it is revealed that Nacho and Miss Tree are part of the same secret crime organization that killed Leigh’s father, because he was investigating them, as well as Oliver, because his criminal activities drew police attention as well. Leigh fights Nacho and Miss Tree and manages to escape, also freeing Tristin, Peg, and Myra. Returning to the manor, Leigh once again sees Big Bodie who explains that his cruel demeanor is meant to protect Little Bodie but he now believes Leigh can protect him and he can move on.