Newton is a New City, the dream of the visionary Barnaby Vine- a pluralistic society living in social and racial harmony. The city is run by Austin Swope, a brilliant lawyer and fixer and was built by Earl Wooten, a successful black construction engineer. At the outset, Swope and Wooten seem to epitomise the harmonious relations between black and white, as well as being beneficent overseers of their community. Their sons Teddy - a genius misfit - and Joel - cool and handsome - are best buddies, despite the fact that Joel has been more distracted since he started having sex with his beautiful blonde girlfriend, Susan Truax. But there are signs of cracking in the infrastructure and all it takes for the whole house of cards to collapse is one 'malignant drop of suspicion', and the paranoia and fear that lie so close to the surface break out. When Austin picks up on a rumour that Earl may be about to be offered the job he has been promised as official First Man of the City, he sets in train a series of events that will devastate the three families at the centre of the story, and bring about a tragedy of classical proportions.