Moon of the Wolf 1972

Discovery of the victim's body

Two farmers in Marsh Island discover the mauled body of a local young woman and summon Sheriff Aaron Whitaker. The grim discovery triggers the town's murder investigation and stirs fear about what killed her. The case quickly becomes a focal point for rumors and suspicion among residents.

Autopsy and early theories

Dr. Drutan performs the autopsy and determines the victim died from a blow to the head. The sheriff begins interviewing townsfolk who offer competing theories, including an attack by wild dogs. The investigation widens as the mystery deepens.

Burrifors arrives and accuses a lover

Lawrence Burrifors arrives at the scene in a fit of rage and insists the killer is the victim's mysterious lover, a man his sister would not name. The sheriff remains wary of the brother's volatile temper and possible motive. The personal feud within the Burrifor family complicates the case.

Father warns of the loup-garou

The victim's dying father, Hugh Burrifor, warns the sheriff about the loup-garou and hints at folklore beyond the sheriff's understanding. He offers a cultural context that there may be a supernatural cause behind the murder. The warning plants the seeds for a folklore based explanation.

Investigation at Rodanthe plantation

The sheriff visits the plantation of Andrew Rodanthe and meets his sister Louise. Andrew claims to have malaria the night of the murder and denies involvement with the victim. The sheriff begins to suspect a possible affair with the victim and a link to the Rodanthe family.

Lawrence's arrest and the fatal jailbreak

Lawrence assaults Dr. Drutan, drawing the sheriff's suspicion away from others. He is jailed, and as the full moon rises, violence erupts in the jail when steel bars are torn from the wall. Lawrence and the sheriff's deputy are killed in the brutal attack.

Transformation at the hospital

Andrew Rodanthe, exposed to Hugh Burrifor's voodoo potion, suffers an apparent epileptic seizure and is taken to the hospital. There, he undergoes a brutal transformation into a werewolf. The town's sense of safety dissolves as fear spreads.

Louise decodes Rougarou

Louise reveals she can speak French fluently and agrees to talk with Hugh Burrifor about the term Rougarou. While discussing, Louise deciphers that Rougarou is a mispronunciation of Loup Garou, meaning werewolf. The revelation reframes the killer's identity in folklore terms.

Family secret and inheritance

Louise explains a family secret: her grandfather suffered spells of sickness that align with werewolf lore, implying the curse could be inherited by Andrew. The sheriff gains a lineage-based explanation for the killer and a bridge between folklore and danger. This moment ties the supernatural belief to real threat.

Werewolf Andrew on the run

Transformed into a werewolf, Andrew escapes the hospital and becomes the target of a townwide manhunt. The community braces for a dangerous pursuit under the looming threat of the full moon. The chase pushes the town to its limits as fear spreads.

Mayor and posse mobilize

A posse forms to track the werewolf while Louise pushes the mayor to recognize the danger and to consider possible drug-based remedies. She offers folklore-informed insight to help the town respond. The authorities scramble to act under mounting pressure.

Homefront confrontation begins

Louise returns to the Rodanthe plantation; Andrew, still in werewolf form, enters the house. She flees to the barn and attempts to set him on fire, then returns to the house to seek safety. The tense indoor-outdoor chase intensifies the danger.

Final pursuit and death

The werewolf confronts Louise, and she shoots him just as the sheriff arrives. Andrew dies and briefly reverts to human form before dying. The sheriff's arrival marks the end of the immediate threat to Marsh Island.