故事发生在1921年的英格兰，在一战中所经历的失败令压抑而又沉痛的气氛笼罩了在全国上下。弗洛伦斯（丽贝卡·豪尔 Rebecca Hall 饰）是一位打假义士，正义感极强的她将戳穿谎言揭露真相视为己任，她不相信世间有鬼魂存在，存在的只有险恶的人心。 　　在一所男子寄宿学校中，盛传着闹鬼的传闻，在人们口中，一个非正常死亡的男孩的鬼魂终日徘徊在校园中不肯离去。为了打消学生和家长的恐惧，学校委托弗洛伦斯前来调查。弗洛伦斯很快便展开了工作，在她的精明强干之下，事件的真相逐渐浮出了水面。而正当她以为问题已经得到了解决准备离开时，却发生了一件足以颠覆她此生全部信仰的事件。In 1921, in London, the arrogant and skeptical Florence Cathcart is famous for exposing hoaxes and helping the police to arrest con artists. The stranger Robert Mallory tells her that the headmaster of a boarding school in Rookford had invited her to travel to Cumbria to investigate a ghost that is frightening the pupils to death. He also tells that many years ago there was a murder in the estate and recently pupil Walter Portman had died. The reluctant Florence finally accepts to go to Cumbria. On arrival, she is welcomed by governess Maud and the boy Thomas Hill. Soon Florence discovers what had happened to Walter and then the students, teachers and staff are released on vacation, and Florence remains alone with Robert, Maud and Tom in the school. Florence is ready to leave the boarding school when strange things happen, leaving Florence scared.