There are few clues that indicate that this novel takes place in a certain year or in a certain town. It may take place in New York, for many of Klein's novels have a New York setting; however, there are no specific references to New York landmarks. The father is the editor of a political magazine, Human Rights; therefore, the setting could easily be New York or another large, metropolitan city. Klein once commented on the setting, noting: "I've always loved New York which is the background for many of my novels. It seemed to me when I began writing books for kids that most teenage novels were set in the midwest or the subur I wanted to portray the kind of teenager I was and the kind my kids were—not cheerleaders or football stars."

Regardless of the city, the setting is not the dominant element...