Ramona, a battered wife, plans to kill her husband and make it look like an accident. After his death, while going through his belongings, she finds papers he has written that make no sense. When her mama commits suicide, she finds her mama's diaries. The diaries begin just before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Ramona is amazed at what she learns about her mama, the sheriff, and the whole town of Addison, Georgia, where she lives. Ramona is falling in love with the sheriff, but is terrified he will discover that her husband's death wasn't an accident. The town's wealthiest man wants to buy the shack that Ramona and her husband, Jake, lived in. He is willing to pay double what it's worth. The doctor that Ramona works for is trying to get her to leave town. Her landlord is found snooping in Ramona's apartment. She doesn't know who she can trust.