It's July, 1984, and struggling writer Niko Petrovich is delighted that his city, Los Angeles, is about to host the Olympic Games. Although Niko just had his first play produced, he still feels the pressure to build on this success, or be forced to give up on his dreams altogether. But when his elderly friend, Beryl Hartgrove, a renowned photographer, becomes ill, Niko jumps in to help rescue her archive of historic photographs, some of which document L. A.'s first Olympics, the 1932 Summer Games. As Niko tries to save Beryl's photographs, he becomes immersed in the city's past. He meets former Olympians, a literary hero of his, and one of the city's power brokers. Niko finds himself embroiled in dramatic events on the very eve of the Olympics. While optimistic about the future, Niko can't help feeling that his entire world is built on shaky ground.