Written by Laurie Frankel and published in 2021, One Two Three depicts the aftermath of an environmental disaster in the fictional town of Bourne. The widespread issues are caused by the actions of the large conglomerate Belsum Chemical, which knowingly poisoned the town’s water supply and then engaged in a years-long cover-up. Belsum created an ongoing health crisis in Bourne, and the novel documents the valorous efforts of resident Nora Mitchell and her three daughters, Mab, Monday, and Mirabel, to hold Belsum Chemical accountable for its actions and obtain compensatory damages.

Frankel is deeply interested in complex familial bonds and in the problematic ways that “ability” and “disability” are characterized within contemporary society, and these themes take center stage in the novel. She also engages with the broader impact of NIMBY policies and depicts a town full of individuals who, although they have been preyed upon by a greedy corporation and left with lasting health issues from the toxic chemical runoff in their water supply, are nonetheless able to work together to promote happiness and success in their town and fight back in the form of a lawsuit against Belsum Chemical.

This guide refers to the Holt Paperback edition published by Macmillan Publishing Group in 2021.

Plot Summary

One Two Three is set in the fictional town of Bourne, the former site of Belsum Chemical, a corporation that knowingly poisoned the town’s water supply. While the initial actions of the plant occurred before the novel officially begins, it is important to note that as a small community lacking jobs and resources, Bourne initially welcomed the company to their town, especially because Belsum paid to have their river dammed into a lake that was much safer for children to swim in than the waterway had been. During its tenure in the town, Belsum brought jobs and prosperity to Bourne, and at first its residents were grateful. However, eventually the town’s water turned brown, and although Belsum claimed that it was still safe to drink, people’s pets began dying, and an alarming number of residents were diagnosed with cancer and other mysterious, idiopathic ailments. At the point that the water turned from brown to a bright, eerie green, Belsum was forced to admit that the water was not, in fact, safe to drink. The company shuttered its plant and left Bourne to its fate.

In addition to the high rate of cancer, many former workers at the plant lost limbs and bodily functionality. Children began to be born with congenital abnormalities and intellectual and emotional disabilities. By this point, it was clear to the inhabitants of Bourne that their myriad health problems were caused by exposure to toxic chemical runoff from Belsum’s product and from the direct exposure of those who worked at the plant. However, Belsum was able to avoid taking responsibility and never compensated the town in any way.

Among the victims of Belsum’s misdeeds is Nora Mitchell, the town therapist, bartender, and baker, who lost her husband to cancer and gave birth to a set of triplets who have a wide range of congenital abnormalities. Nora now decides to bring a lawsuit against Belsum and engages in a multi-year investigation into the company, hoping to find proof that they were always aware of the dangers of their product. She is aided in this quest by her daughters, who overcome their many disabilities and prove themselves to be keen thinkers and thorough investigators who work very well together as a team.

That same spirit of resilience, determination, and togetherness characterizes the town, and they are able to create and maintain a community that is happy and successful despite its history and limitations. The town’s residents achieve this by promoting accessibility; because of the many health issues that ensue after Belsum’s damage to the environment, Bourne is now set up to accommodate wheelchairs, walking aids, and a range of different mobility levels. Although many businesses have been forced to close due to lack of profits and workers, the townspeople repurpose the remaining buildings and ensure the availability of basic services. For example, Nora’s daughter Monday relocates the library to the Mitchell home and serves as the unofficial librarian, and Pastor Jeff, who is both the town pastor and physician, uses his church as a yoga studio and copy center in addition to holding services there. Tom Kandinsky, the town handyman, collects a variety of odds and ends to help repair and replace items within each family’s home.

Although Nora has been engaged in a long-term investigation into Belsum, she has struggled to find concrete evidence of what is common knowledge: that Belsum Chemical knew that it was poisoning the town. When Belsum suddenly returns to Bourne, intent on reopening their plant with a newer, “safer” version of their old product, she and her daughters intensify their search for evidence. At first, the return of Belsum Chemical is a shock to the community, for no one can believe that the company would dare to come back, let alone reopen the shuttered plant. Nathan Templeton, the son of original Belsum owner Duke Templeton, moves into the former library building along with his wife, Apple, and his son, River. He offers jobs to everyone in town and makes a big show of drinking the local tap water, giving the appearance that he believes it to be safe to consume. However, the truth is much murkier because the jobs come with the condition that workers remove their names as signatories on Nora’s lawsuit, and, to make matters worse, Nathan is only pretending to drink the water. He is very well aware of the dangers of Belsum Chemical’s products and has full knowledge of his own family’s complicity in poisoning Bourne’s water supply.

Belsum intends to reopen the plant, but in order to do so, it must first repair the now-leaky dam. The company arranges for work to begin on the dam and develops a timeline for the plant itself to resume production. Nora is furious and steps up her efforts to halt Belsum’s progress. With River Templeton as a surprising ally, Mab, Monday, and Mirabel are ultimately able to find proof that Belsum was aware that the runoff from its plant was poisonous. They also discover that Belsum does not own the rights to the dam and that the town has the power to halt its repair. Although Nora is initially excited by these findings and cannot wait to move forward with her lawsuit, she runs into two roadblocks. First, Belsum now claims that its new, reformulated product has undergone rigorous testing and is safe, and because the town so badly needs the jobs that Belsum is promising, many townspeople feel compelled to remove their names from the lawsuit and vote for Belsum’s return. Additionally, Nora discovers that the information her children have found is not enough to obtain any kind of a conviction or compensatory damages. Crestfallen, she does not know how to proceed. Mab, Monday, and Maribel then decide that the only way to prevent Belsum from re-victimizing Bourne is to destroy the dam themselves. Working together under the cover of night, they break into Belsum Chemical, steal a backhoe, and break large holes into the dam. At this point, Belsum leaves for good.

Although this is a risky act, the girls are successful, and they even evade prosecution and punishment, for Duke Templeton declines to file charges, not wanting to publicly admit that he has been bested by three teenagers. The town mayor, who is sympathetic to the girls’ cause, also chooses not to punish them. Bourne is able to finally receive a small settlement from Belsum. With this money, the town is able to make some much-needed improvements and repairs. Although it is a modest victory, it is a victory nonetheless, and life goes on in Bourne.