A fictional novel based on the life and times of Charles Manson and the "Manson Family". Is a person born bad, or does their environment lead them to do bad things? All Charlie wanted was to be loved. Raised by a rebellious teenager who was more interested in booze and cheap thrills, Charlie Manson grew up to be a petty criminal who made one bad decision after another. Living on the fringes of society, Charlie ends up in prison for several years of his life. After being released in the turbulent late 60s, Charlie dreams of becoming a rock star. While living on the streets of Los Angeles, he meets a lonely young woman named Mary and they fall in love. Charlie and Mary open their relationship to other young runaways and outcasts, forming a family of lovers. At first, it's all fun and games as Charlie and his family travel around making music and spreading a gospel of love. But when they move onto an abandoned movie ranch, drugs and isolation turns Charlie into a paranoid and dangerous man. His family begins to see Charlie as a messiah, and he abuses that power to control everyone and everything around him. Charlie becomes convinced that a violent revolution is on the horizon, and in order to survive it, his family must prepare for war and be ready to kill. As a result, Charlie orchestrates a murder spree in the Hollywood hills that still shocks the world today.