The subject is drugs. The characters are loathsome. The first female governor of New York, herself the daughter of a notorious organized crime Don, has made up her mind to rid New York City of illegal drugs. She claims that all politicians before her have paid only lip service to the problem, and that what is needed is an actual act of war. Using the Posse Comitatus Act of 1870 she tries to convince legislators that she is acting correctly when she declares martial law in portions of New York City. She is accused of treason. Some of her closest friends and political allies become suspect to her cause. Margaret Braggi in her initial actions is not aware of the interplay of the Cosa Nostra and the Russian drug lords. These forces create barriers to her potential success.
The story unfolds revealing ruthlessness in quests for power and money. Terror, murder, and anarchy make this book a study of the drug reality.