Hailed for its coiled eroticism and the moral claims it makes upon the reader， this mesmerizing novel is a story of love and secrets， horror and compassion， unfolding against the haunted landscape of postwar Germany.<br><br>When he falls ill on his way home from school， fifteen-year-old Michael Berg is rescued by Hanna， a woman twice his age. In time she becomes his lover—then she inexplicably disappears. When Michael next sees her， he is a young law student， and she is on trial for a hideous crime. As he watches her refuse to defend her innocence， Michael gradually realizes that Hanna may be guarding a secret she considers more shameful than murder.