Set in Wyoming Territory in the 1870s, North Reckoning offers a tale of Old West justice as it chronicles John's hunt for the perpetrators. A chance encounter with a stagecoach robbery leads him to the town of Copperhead and reveals that his enemies have brought despair to many other people. It also introduces him to the lovely Hannah Olson, and John is instantly smitten with her.
John is joined on his quest by a variety of characters - the town doctor, a stagecoach passenger, an old prospector, an Indian scout, an army captain, and a black rancher, among others - but one of them hides a secret. As the town erupts in violence, John wonders how much more blood must be shed before he can find justice.