Jacob Todd is abroad on his own for the first time, visiting his grandfather's grave at the annual commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem in Amsterdam. There, he meets Geertrui, a terminally ill old lady, who tells an extraordinary story of love and betrayal, which completely overturns Jacob's view of himself and his country, and leads him to question his place in the world. Jacob's story is paralled in time by the events of the dramatic day in World War II when retreating troops were sheltered by Geertrui's family.

An intensely moving and richly layered novel, spanning 50 years, which powerfully evokes the atmosphere of war while brilliantly interweaving Jacob's exploration of new relationships in contemporary Amsterdam.