The novel is about a boy named Nobody Owens who is raised by the inhabitants of a graveyard after his parents are murdered by a character known as Jack. The murder took place in Nobody's home, when he was a toddler. After Jack killed his parents, the small boy climbed out of his crib and went exploring. He wound up in a graveyard where a group of ghosts agreed to take care of him. They named him Nobody because "he looked like nobody but himself". Generally, Nobody lives a peaceful existence with his friend Scarlett, and his ghoulish family, until he realizes that Jack is still out to get him.