When sixteen-year-old Sylvia meets her boyfriend’s father Phillip, she is quickly drawn into his family and his world. Still a rebel in his forties, Phillip is full of contempt for suburban convention. Sylvia is captivated by his stories of travel and his reckless style. But Phillip’s world is collapsing. Sylvia clings to her faith as his marriage breaks up, his business fails and he fuels his bravado with drugs and alcohol. Only after his death does she piece together the clues that point to a far more sinister reality.