This book is about love, murder, and manslaughter (with two detectives) and also offers extensive travel literature. It tells the story of Ernst Wuboldt and his mentor, the Pohlen. There are Spindel, a delicate being, and Murmel, a sturdy one, both mistresses and playmates of Wuboldt. A woman named Bucker will come into his life like fate at the turning point of the book. The locations include Spandau and Bamberg. The Spandau cast consists of the library servant Hans (Hansi) Johann Gottfried Hekel, the health food store owner Fritz Lamberti, a silent man named Schramm, and Chief Commissioner Kräuter; they meet at the Büttelmann inn around a round table. The Bamberg crew gathers at Fässla Spezial at the Franconian long table, formed around the ladies Bärbel and Hartzvierette, the gentlemen Dr. Märtens and Ibizza-Kurt, as well as the forest apprentice Ortmann.