In 'The Leftovers,' readers enter the suburban town of Mapleton, which is grappling with the fallout of the Sudden Departure, an inexplicable event that claimed over a hundred of its residents. Amidst this apocalyptic confusion, former mayor Kevin Garvey strives to find new purpose for the community and his fragmented family. His wife, Laurie, has joined the Guilty Remnant cult, his son Tom follows a dubious prophet, while his daughter, Jill, strays from her past as a model student. Tom Perrotta narrates a tale of ordinary lives touched by extraordinary circumstances, examining the resilience of the human spirit in the face of loss and uncertainty.