The show is set in the town of Trinity, South Carolina. Lucas Buck, the local sheriff, has supernatural powers. He uses these powers to manipulate people into making evil choices. Lucas himself has already committed crimes such as murder and rape. A young boy, Caleb Temple, has seen the deaths of his mother and father (both suicides) and older sister (murdered). Caleb does not know that he is the biological son of Lucas Buck. The sheriff plans to corrupt his son, but faces obstacles. Caleb's new legal guardian is his adult cousin Gail Emory, a reporter. Gail also investigates the mysterious deaths of her own parents. Caleb is helped by the ghost of his sister, Merlyn Temple.