Between 1940 - 41, in Berlin, nine women are killed during the blackouts. One of these is a young girl. Her face is covered in snow and it looks as if she is smiling. This murder differs from the others and detective Johann Braunmann is ordered to solve it. However, he quickly senses that he is not meant to solve this case - or at least not to solve it quickly and for reasons he can't figure out. Something is very wrong - or somebody at the highest echelons of power is involved.