In Charles Frazier's Nightwoods, the story follows Luce, a young woman living a secluded life as the caretaker of an abandoned lodge in the Appalachian wilderness. Her quiet existence is shattered when she learns that her sister Lily has been murdered by her husband, Bud, leaving behind Lily’s traumatized twins, Dolores and Frank. As Luce takes in the children, she grapples with their deep emotional scars and their unsettling behaviors, including a fascination with fire and silence. Meanwhile, Bud, evading murder charges, seeks to reclaim money Lily hid before her death while terrorizing Luce and the twins. With the help of a neighbor named Maddie and a growing bond with Stubblefield, the lodge's new owner, Luce strives to protect the children. Tensions escalate when Bud's violent past resurfaces, culminating in a confrontation where Luce fiercely defends the twins. Ultimately, she and Stubblefield become surrogate parents to Dolores and Frank, living in constant vigilance against Bud's potential return, finding solace and hope amid the lingering shadows of trauma.
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