James, hoping to recover from a broken heart (broken by both girl and a boy), has taken off from college and rented a caretaker’s cottage in a cemetery on the edge of a small town, where he plans to work on his master’s thesis in what seems to be a setting of ideal quiet.

But James’ sensitivity unexpectedly allows him to hear the voices of the various spirits who inhabit the cemetery along with him. He proceeds to change his thesis to "A History of American Gravestone Carvings" and designate himself the related task of writing down the stories of the ghosts he encounters.

The numerous ghosts tell fascinating, moving, and amusing stories of their lives and deaths, dating from 200 years ago up to two days ago, etching a vivid picture of the town and of other times.