Up and coming black artist Alex Lynch is offered a three month stay at an artist's studio in the depths of the Irish countryside. The setting by the lakeside of The Black Water is serene and idyllic, a perfect setting in which to recover from her grief at the death of partner Nina and to rejuvenate her creativity. But the lake holds dark secrets, the mysterious death by drowning of the previous artist and ancient legends which speak of the Leanan Sidhe, a demonic fairy spirit. In an atmosphere of increasing dread Alex must grapple with her obsessive feelings towards the strange young woman Aoife, who many of the locals believe is accursed.