No one living outside the town needs to know that Bare Buttes' "alien abductions" are fake, organized a few times each year by its small but spunky Performance Committee. The committee sustains just enough hype to avoid suspicion while keeping tourists interested, which is perfect for Juniper Flatts, the owner of a humble UFO-themed gift shop that she inherited from her mother. But when a series of real abductions occurs—each involving a mysterious flying vehicle not terribly unlike the Performance Committee's simulations—and Juniper's best friend and love interest goes missing, she takes it upon herself to find out who's responsible for the chaos.

Juniper's head-spinning investigation threatens to unravel the town’s carefully constructed image, and with it, the last thing Juniper’s late mother left her. By working with her neighbors to connect the dots, Juniper discovers the orchestrator behind her community's biggest nightmare. Going head-to-head with him leads Juniper to a nauseating crossroads: sell out her community, or do the right thing, even at great personal cost.