 Season 1 revolves around Veronica Mars, a high school student and private investigator in the fictional Southern California seaside town of Neptune. As the daughter of well-respected County Sheriff Keith Mars, Veronica's biggest problem was getting dumped by her boyfriend, Duncan Kane, until the murder of her best friend Lilly Kane. After Lilly's murder, Veronica's life falls apart. Keith accuses Lilly's father, popular software billionaire Jake Kane, of being involved in the murder. This provokes Neptune's wrath and Keith's ousting as sheriff in a recall election, replaced by Don Lamb. Veronica's mother, Lianne, develops a drinking problem and leaves town. Veronica's "09er" friends — wealthy students from the fictional 90909 ZIP code — force her to choose between them and her father; Veronica chooses her father. After being voted out as sheriff, Keith opens a private investigation agency, Mars Investigations, where Veronica works part-time. Veronica helps her father solve cases and conducts her own investigations on behalf of friends and acquaintances at school.
