Lisa Haskins has just moved to Detroit, where she is employed at Elgin Research Company. Through flashbacks, the reader is introduced to several characters, including Lisa's parents; Larry, the janitor; her friend, Cathy Wilkes; her boss, Mr. McGee; and a co-worker, Josh Stevens. Early in the novel, Lisa is viciously attacked in an alley. A man finds her and takes her to the hospital. Lisa is questioned by the police, and she gives a description of her assailant. Unfortunately, the reader learns that the rapist is still stalking Lisa. Lisa receives gifts, harassing phone calls, and explicit love letters from her stalker. Shortly thereafter, the rapist confronts her again and she decides to take matters into her own hands. Everyone faces trauma in his/her life. The ability to overcome these horrible experiences is what helps people stay mentally healthy. Many do not realize that women are often so emotionally scarred by a rape that it completely destroys the rest of their lives. Often, friends and family blame the victim for the assault, who then may be put on trial to prove her innocence rather than to help prove the assailant's guilt. These factors can be cataclysmic to one's ability to cope with life. Lisa will gradually work through her feelings and learn to accept that she is not a victim, but a survivor.