While trying to navigate the everyday drama of high school, the smart, fearless, 17-year-old Veronica Mars also moonlights as an apprentice private investigator out to solve her wealthy town of Neptune's toughest mysteries. After coming to the aid of the new kid, sophomore Wallace Fennel, who's been duct-taped to the school's flagpole, Veronica ends up incurring the wrath of the thugs who put him there, Eli "Weevil" Navarro and his P.C.H. Biker Boyz. To get Weevil and his gang off her and Wallace's case, Veronica devises an intricate plan that helps some of Weevil's cronies avoid trouble with the law.

Meanwhile, defying her father, Keith Mars, the disgraced former sheriff turned private eye, Veronica pursues a late-night case of adultery against billionaire Jake Kane, only to make an unsettling discovery about her mother, who abandoned Veronica and Keith a year ago.

Veronica doesn't believe the evidence adds up against Weevil, who has confessed to stealing credit card applications from Logan's family, and launches an investigation to help her new ally.

Meanwhile, after joining Ms. Mallory Dent's newspaper class, Veronica clashes with socialite Caitlin Ford, Logan's bombshell girlfriend, but is intrigued by the attention shown to her by another wealthy student, Troy Vandegraff, a friend of ex-boyfriend Duncan. Later, Veronica learns that Lilly got a ticket driving her car on the day she died -- two hours after her supposed time of death.

After the summer fireworks caused by a dangerous confrontation with Lilly Kane's murderer and a surprising visitor at her door, Veronica attempts to settle into "normal" life, complete with a new after-school job and a return to the popular fold at Neptune High, but she gets pulled back into the investigation business when Wallace is kicked off the basketball team for testing positive for drugs.Meanwhile, Keith sits down with reporter Julie Chen to discuss his new book on the Lilly Kane murder, "Big Murder, Small Town." Later, after seeing his father arrested for murder and being charged and tried for murder himself, Logan seeks refuge from the paparazzi and relaxes poolside at the Casablancas mansion with buddies Dick and "Beaver" and their sexy stepmother Kendall.

When Duncan disappears with Meg's baby, Lamb must work with two FBI agents to extract as much information as possible from an uncooperative Veronica. Meanwhile, Wallace reveals the real reason he returned to Neptune, and Weevil and Logan make a breakthrough in their hunt for the rogue gang member.

Veronica begins college with Logan, Wallace and Mac, but is immediately drawn back into old detective habits when Piz, Wallace's new roommate, gets all his stuff stolen. Meanwhile, Keith helps reunite Kendall with an old love, recently released from prison.

After the campus rapist anonymously announces the location of his next rape, Veronica hires her friends to help her track him down, but is shocked when she discovers the rapist's identity. Meanwhile, Logan makes a drastic decision about his future with Veronica, and Dean O'Dell hires Keith to prove that his wife is unfaithful.

As the end of the first semester at Hearst College draws to an end, the election for sheriff in Neptune comes to a close and Veronica and Piz discuss the effect a summer apart will have on their relationship.

Panic spreads through Neptune when a bomb goes off during spring break. Veronica and Keith are hired by the wealthy family of one victim injured in the bombing to find out who is responsible.

Veronica and Keith follow a new lead, and discover another victim. Matty follows her own instincts, landing herself dangerously close to a killer. Veronica has a tragic epiphany as the clock is ticking.