After wealthy recluse Lyle Staybler dies under mysterious circumstances, Trudy Pluth becomes a person of interest. Townspeople mount judgments against her and enemies lurk in the shadows. Her few remaining friends offer support as they help Trudy renovate an old house. It's a diverse group: Trudy, who looks at people as projects in need of repair; Martha, whose Minnesota-nice persona masks her sadness and fears; Iris, a person of color transplanted from the East who's not sure how she fi ts in; and Greta, with a scandalous life that offers fodder for small-town gossips.