Frannie Cline's mother has died. And Frannie's father is growing increasingly abusive towards the child. Her maternal grandmother, who is gravely concerned about the girl's welfare, orchestrates a daring and unusual escape for her to flee her vicious father. Shortly after Frannie's arrival at her new home in Georgia, Granny Taylor travels to a far location to live with her sister, leaving Frannie with attorney, Hal Lomax, and his friend Sam. Frannie adjusts and blossoms until the attorney learns her father is on her trail again. Their solution is for them all to move to desolate and underdeveloped Hilton Head Island, where-in that summer of 1953-the men are closely involved in the development of the remote southern end of the island. Soon, mysterious events endanger Frannie once again; then abruptly they cease. Her life returns to normal until, at the age of nineteen, she accompanies her freshman class from the University of South Carolina on a Latin Club weekend get-away at Fripp Island. Once again her life is threatened.