Although the characters go from one locale to another throughout the story, the various settings are not a dominant element in this contemporary (1980s) chronicle. The people, events, and thoughts during the journey are the significant ingredients.

At the start, Bizou and her mother travel from Paris to New York City, where they spend two days sightseeing with Nicholas. After Tranquility's disappearance, Bizou and Nicholas drive to Vermont to visit his girlfriend and to make plans for finding Bizou's mother or family. They then drive to Washington, D.C. to contact Mr. Haynes who is the father of one of Bizou's former schoolmates and who works for the U.S. State Department.

Their final stop on the search for information about Tranquility, her family, or her friends is Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, Tranquility's hometown.