Death lingers around the sleepy town of Rosewood. Upturned graves, shattered headstones and shuffling corpses are popping up all over the place. Only, the dead aren't all that bad. Sure, the stench of rotted flesh is enough to stir anyone's gag reflex, but they can't help it. It's just the way they are. Audrey Winters is a Breather; one of the lucky ones. Although clumsy, she has not yet stumbled in front of oncoming traffic or fallen out of her bedroom window. Things are going relatively well for her; she's got a job (eating cupcake batter is but a small perk), her grades aren't completely terrible - bar Latin, but hey, it's a dead language anyway - and her friend count is (just) above zero. Just when she thinks life couldn't possibly get any stranger she meets Noah, a recently transferred. He's quiet, strange and somewhat cute for a guy with no heartbeat. But not everyone in Rosewood is as welcoming. Whispers in the shadows tell of an oncoming battle and secrets unfold, of why the dead are walking and why, of all people, Audrey is the only one who can save them.
