The story opens with the early morning rape of a young American woman, who, along with her husband, has come as a volunteer teacher to a small country in southern Africa. The rapist is captured by the husband and is subsequently arrested and held for trial. Because the Ministry of Justice sees the incident as sensitive, oversight of the case is assigned to an American expatriate lawyer employed there. The ensuing story follows not only the volunteers' lives as they cope with the aftermath of the attack and the Ministry of Justice's involvement in the matter, but also a growing unease on the part of characters concerning who they are and where they belong. Questions of culture and identity impact the action and outcome of the story.