The book follows the main protagonist quest for his true identity in post-War Britain as a dual heritage man living in London. The story begins in 1955 when 26-year-old Terry is trying to fit into a world which is not totally ready for the life he is striving for when his girlfriend-Julia-lets him down gently to please her disproving parents. However, the let-down leads Terry to his first contact with the black community when he meets young Jamaican Bob Pinto. Bob, who is new to Britain, introduces Terry to a world outside of his own. After Terry learns that he is soon to be a father by someone else, he is faced with some difficult choices; return to London to his love in London or give up his child.