Random Detours tells the story of Olympia Pappass journey through life. Her well-ordered existence is disrupted on New Years Eve of 1939. The teenagers sudden loss of her father signals the beginning of a series of events that send her on unexpected paths. She first finds herself abruptly transplanted from Manhattan to Long Island. There she meets Alexi Ivankin. Too soon he is shipped to Europe to fight in World War II. Alexis tour of duty with the American Army of Occupation in Berlin assigns him to work with the Red Cross. In that capacity, he becomes devoted to helping concentration camp survivors reunite with families. He makes a deathbed promise to a young refugee to take care of her baby. This commitment sends him to East Berlin and sends Olympia into depression. The friendship they nurtured eventually sends her to Europe. Before Christmas of 1948, she leaves to visit Alexi in Germany. She is detoured to Ireland. Her mother, Dianna Pappas, joins her there. They travel to Berlin where she reunites with Alexi. In February of 1949, Olympia and Alexi wed. They honeymoon in Thun, Switzerland, and decide to go to the French Alps to ski. Olympia is swept away in an avalanche. Despite all their efforts, the Alpine Rescue Squad fails to find Olympia. Alexis younger brother, Boris, joins him in Chamonix, and they continue the search. They learn Olympia was found and delivered to a hospital in Lucerne. When the brothers arrive in Lucerne, they discover Olympia is suffering from amnesia. She was released to her grandparents and taken to Greece. Their next stop is a fishing village on the island of Portes. Boris eventually leaves Alexi to attempt to rekindle Olympias memory so they can return home to America and avoid any more detours.