A man makes a journey to self-discovery when he returns to his ancestral home on the coast of Newfoundland. After the death of his estranged wife, Quoyle's fortunes begin to change when his long lost Aunt Agnis convinces him to head north with his daughters. He relocates to the small coastal village of Killick-Claw. Now, in a place where life is as rough as the weather and secrets are as vast as the ocean, Quoyle lands a job as a reporter for the local newspaper. He reports on the shipping news as he simultaneously attempts to adjust to his new life and surroundings. In the course of his new career, he confronts private demons, discovers dark family mysteries and finds love with a lonely single mother who has a secret of her own.