"Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet." So begins the story about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee and their middle daughter. Her parents are determined that Lydia will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. When Lydia's body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together tumbles into chaos, forcing them to confront the long-kept secrets that have been slowly pulling them apart.