Gabrielle or Gabry for short, lives in a town on the ocean called Vista. She and her mother, Mary, live in the lighthouse and are responsible for killing any Mudo that wash up on the beach. In town there is an orphanage where Gabry's best friend Cira and her brother, Catcher, live. The story begins when Gabry, Cira, Catcher, and some other orphans sneak past the barrier to play in the abandoned amusement park. But a Breaker shows up and bites Catcher. Though Gabry gets out alive, many of the other children get caught. At home, Gabry's mother reveals a secret that changes Gabrys life. Gabry, Cira, Catcher, and Elias escape into the woods and must navigate the forest of hands and teeth to uncover the secrets of Gabry and Elias intertwined pasts.