America, the near future:

The year's hottest reality TV show is a re-creation of a famous trial: the murder of a Congressman.

Viewers are able to log in and "act" along with one of the principals. Viewers selected by the show's computer as being the best in-character at any given moment win cash prizes. But there are unanswered questions surrounding the trial itself – was the killer, loser, and petty criminal Charley Dukes put up to the killing by someone else? Why?

An at-home contestant, Jillian Hall, “acts” as Liv Saunders, the defense attorney in the original trial, and wins a fortune.

When the two finally meet, they struggle to discover the truth about the murder, and uncover the appalling terrorist plot behind it.