Fifteen year old Adam McCormick's life hasn't been the same since classmate Gracie Highsmith found Jamie Marks's dead body at the edge of the river. The town is shocked, but as speculation swirls, it becomes clear that they knew as little about Jamie as they do about the circumstances surrounding his death. Adam becomes fixated on Jamie's death and gradually a deep bond develops between the living teenager and the dead boy's ghost. Their unlikely friendship provides Adam with the support and friendship he needs as the rest of the world falls apart. But the more attached Adam becomes to Jamie's ghost, the weaker his ties to reality become. As he struggles with the real world relationships, Adam is forced to rediscover what it means to be alive.