Charlotte Edgerton would like to change the world but first she must track down a killer. The year is 1842, and Charlotte has left behind an impoverished life in England to come to America and join the Utopian community of Brook Farm in rural Massachusetts. At first it seems to be an idyllic world of like-minded people living in harmony. But soon cracks appeared. The mysterious death of a visiting minister threatens to undermine trust within the community. Visits from the sheriff and a reporter bring unwelcome attention from outsiders who dislike the Brook Farmers' lifestyles and disapprove of the reforms they champion. Determined to discover who is responsible for the minister's death Charlotte finds an ally in Daniel Gallagher, an ambitious young Irish immigrant and fledgling newspaper reporter. Their first suspect is a penniless Irish tramp, but troubling details come to light suggesting other possibilities. As Charlotte and Daniel seek for answers they find themselves unveiling the secrets of several of the community's most revered members. Will their discoveries endanger the community and threaten their hopes for the future? Times are hard and desperate farmers are being imprisoned for debt; many are in danger of losing their property. Embittered locals look with suspicion on strangers who want to turn their world upside down. Will Charlotte and Daniel be able to find the killer and build the new lives they dream about?