Fifteen-year-old Michael Berg meets an older woman by chance, which leads to more than he could ever have imagined. This woman is Hanna, and they soon embark on a passionate and secret love affair that leaves Michael both euphoric and confused. Because Hanna is not who she appears. Years later, as a law student attending a trial in Germany, Michael is shocked to discover that the person in the dock is Hanna. The woman he loved turns out to be a criminal. Much of her behavior during the trial is illogical. But suddenly everything becomes clear and terrible: Hanna must not only answer for a horrific crime but is also desperately hiding an even deeper secret.