The River King

Two young boys discover the body of Gus Pierce in a frozen river and local police retrieve him. Det. Abel Grey and his partner begin a formal investigation at Haddan School. The discovery kicks off a case that will force the school into intense scrutiny.

The school principal describes Gus as a loner and depressed, declaring the death a suicide. He is visibly upset when the officers dispute this assessment. The school's leadership quickly signals a preferred outcome for the case.

Betsy, the photography teacher, is asked to photograph Gus's room and insists on developing the photos herself. She reveals she had seen Gus the night before arguing with Carlin, who was crying in Gus's room. Abel uses these clues to probe deeper into the relationships at Chalk House.

The narrative hints at the night before Gus's death, with Carlin grieving and Gus appearing increasingly isolated. Abel hears a noise in the dorm and investigates the lavatory, only to find nothing definitive. The tension between Gus and his peers begins to surface.

Gus's father arrives and Abel is assigned to accompany him to a hotel, but he makes a stop to see Gus first. Carlin arrives at the hotel and insists to Gus's father that Gus did not kill himself. Their confrontation raises questions about what really happened.

Carlin pulls Abel aside and says Gus's death was not a suicide, blaming herself for what happened. She argues Gus would have left a note if he had chosen to die by his own hand. Her remarks deepen the mystery around Chalk House and the true cause of the death.

Betsy delivers more photographs that show a shadowy figure beside Gus's bed, a detail that unsettles Abel. He asks Betsy out to dinner, but she reveals that she is already engaged, adding personal stakes to the investigation.

Abel learns that the department withheld evidence indicating Gus had human excrement in his lungs, not from river water. The finding points to foul play and a cover-up by those in charge. Abel grows more determined to pursue the truth.

At a Haddan School party, the headmaster offers a payoff to keep the department from investigating the students. Abel rejects the bribe and leaves in a fury. The corrupt atmosphere around Chalk House becomes increasingly personal for him.

Betsy follows Abel home from the party and shows him more photographs, including shadows near Harry. They go to bed together, and Betsy leaves in the morning. Abel is left with a mix of professional and personal conflict.

The investigation triggers memories of Abel's brother Frank's suicide. He uncovers that Gus was bullied and hazed by Harry and Chalk House boys, while the supervising teacher kept his eyes closed. These revelations connect Gus's death to a broader culture at Haddan School.

Carlin breaks up with Harry as her grief deepens, and Betsy breaks off her engagement for honesty's sake. The campus atmosphere grows darker as everyone seems haunted by Gus's death. The group around Chalk House becomes increasingly fractured.

Abel's frustration drives him to pressure a young boy who witnessed the events, and Harry and his clique retaliate with an assault. Abel confronts Harry; the school removes him, and Abel quits, turning in his badge and gun. The case seems to have reached a breaking point.

Abel visits Gus's father and learns that Gus left a suicide note in a magic box. The father confirms the note's existence. Abel decides to burn the note to spare Carlin and chooses to keep Gus's death private, stepping away from Betsy as spring approaches.

In the closing moments, Carlin is seen swimming in the river under a sunny sky, a haunting note that lingers after Gus's death. Betsy and Abel's fates remain unresolved, reflecting the lingering trauma of the events.