After the death of her estranged father, police officer Mona Bright learns that her deceased mother had left her a house in a town called Wink, New Mexico.

Critics noted that the novel's setting was a distorted vision of the "American Dream",[1] and made comparisons to works such as The Stepford Wives,[2][3] and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

[2] The fictional town of Wink gives an outward appearance of obsessive normalcy which is predicated upon rigid gender norms, suburban neighborhoods and other features of mid-century Americana.

[5][1] Lane Robins of Speculative Chic wrote that "Wink is mired in the pop culture of cocktails and green lawns and his and her social roles that Mother thought was appropriate.

"[8] Kirkus Reviews described the second half as "increasingly far-fetched and repetitious explanations which ultimately prove far less fascinating than the conundrums" and described its finale as "absurd".