Samantha Wardlaw can talk to ghosts. Really. Until her fiance committed suicide, she used this remarkable gift to create historical biographies. However, after the death of her lover, she is left bereft of her psychic abilities and literary ambitions. Depressed, Samantha retreats deep into the North Carolina mountains. Despite this, she's forced from her sanctuary to fulfill a publishing contract, and journeys to Charleston, South Carolina. There, she begins the transcription of the diary of a Union Civil War soldier, Josiah Taggart. Almost immediately, he steps from the purgatory of death to recount his story to her-in person.

In this state, he takes her into his fragmented memories where she experiences the battles and hardships of the American Civil War. Only then does she learn that Josiah only has part of his memories, to have peace, he must recover the truth of his life and death. Intrigued, Samantha agrees to help him. As she begins this new exploration, a new man, Sean Carpelli enters her life. Unfortunately, her trips into the past to unravel the mystery of the soldier's life will change the future for all of them.".