Rules of Civility is the story of Katey Kontent, a spirited young woman endeavoring to live a full life in Manhattan during the fizzy Jazz Age. Through the pages of the book Katey takes us on an honest, somewhat deadpan tour of the whirlwind year that was 1938: from New Year's to New Year's and with little time for rest in between, we see her glide from a boarding house to the upper reaches of Manhattan's high society, with all of the loves and losses along the way. The city comes alive through the bold protagonist and the other characters illustrated, particularly her roommate and best friend, audacious Eve Ross, and the man who changes both of their lives, the enigmatic Tinker Grey. The connection between Katey and Tinker is instantaneous, but their story is as cryptic as real life.