When a mysterious accident involving her best friend occurs, 16-year-old Hailey Greene bends the truth in order to protect her upper-middle-class family’s reputation. As the situation grows more dire, Hailey finds herself at the intersection of truth and loyalty, and must decide before fate chooses for her.

When Halloween enthusiasts JESS and ZACH BRYER move into their new home, they focus their attention on transforming it into a spectacular haunted house as per their family tradition. As they continue to move in, Jess begins to notice odd disturbances regarding a family photo that came with the house. This culminates in the revelation that a pair of ghosts, ROBERT and MARGE occupy the residence. Though the ghosts clearly dislike the new occupants, Jess and Zach take this as a good omen. Jess and Zach beg the ghosts to help haunt their haunted house to which Robert and Marge take even more offense, and refuse the offer. Through trial and error, the humans attempt to scare the ghosts into helping them, though nothing works. At her breaking point, Jess destroys the ghost's picture frame, leading them into a fit of rage in which they resort to their supernatural powers. Impressed by their abilities, the humans flatter the ghosts into working with them, and the haunted house is a success.

Set against the radical politics of 1971 Ann Arbor, Panther by the Tail follows a young activist as she fights to free her imprisoned leader while navigating the personal cost of revolution. Based on a true story.