Maarten 't Hart is one of the most popular authors in the Netherlands. In his novel, he depicts the small world of a town in South Holland. There, on President Steynstraat, the composer Alexander Goudveyl grew up as the son of a rag dealer, raised with prayers and the old stories of the war. Thirty years later, he recalls this time, especially December 22, 1956, a rainy Saturday afternoon when police officer Vroombout was murdered.