The story takes place in the town of Crisfield, located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, during the school year of 1967-1968. It begins in September and continues through March 21, when Bullet turns eighteen. The final chapter, a kind of epilogue, is set in December 1969.

Bullet lives with his mother and father on a farm inherited from his maternal grandfather. His brother, Johnny, and his sister, Liza, have already left home, driven away by the domineering ways of their father. Bullet attends Crisfield High School but takes little part in its social life other than track. His event is cross-country, and he is a superior runner, winning the state championship for two years. Bullet also works for Patrice, the owner of a small fishing boat and the only individual that Bullet respects. It is through the interaction of all these elements that Voigt develops her story.