In the late-1940s North Carolina depicted by Adele Myers in "The Tobacco Wives," Big Tobacco rules all. Maddie is dropped off abruptly in the small town of Bright Leaf by her flighty mother, leaving her in the care of her seamstress aunt. At first, Maddie is intrigued by the town and the opportunity to build her own sewing skills by assisting her aunt on orders for the town's wealthy "tobacco wives." Soon, however, Maddie uncovers a strange pattern of health problems among the women, leading her to make a horrifying discovery about the company that the whole town depends upon. Maddie has to figure out who to trust and who will believe her, all while knowing that one wrong move could spell disaster for her and everyone she loves.