The iconic New York Public Library is plagued by a series of rare book thefts, and it's up to two strong, determined women from different generations to solve it.

The year is 1913, and Laura Lyons has, at least at first glance, everything she could wish for - her husband is the custodian of the New York Public Library, they live in an apartment right inside this grandiose building, and life has given them two children. However, this is not enough for the headstrong and passionate Laura, and when one day she takes a risk and applies to journalism school, her world is shaken to its very foundations. Her studies lead her, for example, to a community of new bohemians, where she discovers a radical group of women where they can express their opinions on contraception, suffrage and other women's issues without fear.

Laura soon finds herself questioning her traditional role as a wife and mother. When several rare copies go missing from the library and her home and the institution she adores are threatened, she is forced to confront her shifting priorities... while risking the very possibility of losing everything.

Eighty years later, Sadie Donovan tries to come to terms with her grandmother's legacy. She finally lands her dream position at the New York Public Library, but her new job suddenly turns into a nightmare...