The close-knit community of Drake Cove is under fierce public scrutiny due to a long-standing tradition called "The Culling", the annual slaughter of pilot whales for consumption, an act that splits the nation. Widower and local fisherman, Julian Finch awakes to learn that the bodies of two colleagues have washed up on the beach of Drake Cove. The suspects are members of the extreme animal rights group, the Fighters Against Animal Cruelty (FAAC). A video uploaded of Julian killing a pregnant whale goes viral, causing an uproar online and in real life. In the aftermath, Julian becomes the victim of life-threatening attacks. With his teenage daughter, Julian takes refuge in the home of Frank Blothio: ex-fisherman turned writer and political activist who does not have the best history with the animal rights movement, or Drake Cove as a whole. As Julian integrates into the Blothio way of life, he discovers heinous secrets and disturbing truths lurking beneath his hometown that will change his life forever.