This unforgettable novel looks at the period from pre-World War I through World War II, uniquely told through the eyes of a boy brought to Detroit as an infant by disadvantaged parents from Germany in search of a better life. From the time he was five, Freddy Bauer's young world unravels after a German U-boat torpedoes and sinks the Lusitania in icy waters. He goes through some awful, life-changing events at a time moral decay and corruption overrun Detroit, which eventually persuades his parents to move back to Germany.

As a young man Freddy lives in decadent Berlin and sees Hitler's rise to power, and his misfortunes only intensify in war-torn Germany. In 1928, Freddy begins law school and rises above his peers. He faces political idealogues bent on overthrowing the government. A law professor appreciates his genius and the two become close friends. Spending evenings in a tavern with friends escaping the rigors of university life, he starts an emotional affair with his first love, Jette.

Practicing law, Freddy becomes frustrated with Hitler's perverted sense of justice, feeling powerless when Nazi courts dismiss evidence and give out harsh sentences in quick trials. At the beginning of the second half of 1943, the German Army conscripts him and he fights on two fronts. What happens next in this electrifying novel is unexpected, and will make a memorable impression on readers.