The action of the novel by the classic of Dutch literature W. F. Hermans (1921–1995) takes place in May 1940, in the first days after the attack of Nazi Germany on the Netherlands. The main character is a prosecutor, his mother is a famous opera singer, his brother is an artist. With the attack of Germany, their former bohemian life comes to an end. The hero has a crime on his conscience: the accidental murder of a Jewish girl who fled Germany and was forced to hide. Thanks to the detective background, the book is distinguished by the intensity of the action, combined with the philosophical thoughts of the author.