It's 1954 and relations between the United States and Russia are tense. Senator Joseph McCarthy has many Americans convinced that the Communists have infiltrated society. Paranoia runs rampant, as decent Americans lose their jobs on suspicion alone. Floyd Woods served as one of the FBI's top Special Agents until he was accused of having Communist sympathies. Floyd lost his job despite lack of evidence to support these claims. He now works as a small time insurance investigator. Floyd is flown into the small town of Sherrill, NY to investigate a life insurance claim. As the case goes on, he finds himself continually distracted by the locals' odd behavior...