The Burning Plain follows the story of several different people separated by time and space -- Sylvia, a woman in Oregon who must undertake an emotional odyssey to rid herself of her past; Mariana and Santiago, two teenagers trying to piece together the shattered lives of their parents in a New Mexico border town; Maria, a little girl who goes on a border-crossing voyage to help her parents find redemption, forgiveness, and love; and Gina and Nick, a couple who must deal with an intense and clandestine affair... because they are both married.

A seasoned senior enlisted special operations (spec ops) United States Marine is wounded during combat operations in Iraq. He is retired from the Marine Corps and visits a friend on a ranch in the south west. When he arrives he discovers his friend has disappeared and no one will even admit to knowing of him.