Katurian, a fiction writer living in a police state, is brought into custody regarding the gruesome content of his short stories and their similarities to a number of child murders occurring in his town. When his mentally impaired brother is taken into custody, Katurian must decide how best to protect himself, his brother, and his stories. This black comedy by Martin McDonough examines the role of the artist in society and asks what price do we pay for freedom of expression.