"Golden boy" quarterback Camden Dougherty's involvement with smart and pretty new senior Siobhan Curran starts a chain of events that leads his self-proclaimed best friend, Michael Littlefield, on a path of jealous fury that results in terror for the whole school, particularly Siobhan, on opening night of the last school play. Failing to acknowledge his own role in his troubles, Michael focuses his rage and vengeance on the one person he blames for the losses of his friend, his starring role in the play, and his school, while demonstrating the insidiousness of prejudice and violence. Without providing easy solutions to difficult issues, A Twist of Hate is a timely and thoughtful illustration of the failure of personal accountability as well as the curative powers of hope and love.