NewYorkpretentiousDianaSullivaniswritingaseriesofarticlesonthethemeof"family"forCosmopolitanmagazine.Primarilytokeepaneyeonherbutalsobecauseofthepersonalconnection,Dianainviteshermid-teendaughter,GraceSullivan,toaccompanyheronatriptoresearchthenextintheseries,dealingwiththeirownfamily,mostspecificallyawingthatlivesdeepinthebackwatersoftheLouisianabayou,whichhasbeenlargelyovertakenbyoilcompaniesoflate.Theyaremostdirectlyconnectedbybrothers:Diana'sgrandfatherMike,andJoe,thepatriarchoftheLouisianawing.DianaandGracehavenevermettheirLouisianarelations,theyinturnwhodonotevenknowthatDianaandGraceexist.Asdifficultasitbecomes,DianaandGraceareabletomeettheirLouisianarelations,ledbyJoe'swidowedyoungwife,RuthSullivan,whoactsasifJoeisstillwiththem,whoseesanythingrelatedtothecityassuspect,andwhorulesherhouseholdwithanironfistto...