Sebastian von Eschburg, scion of a wealthy, self-destructive family, survived his disastrous childhood to become a celebrated artist. He casts a provocative shadow over the Berlin scene; his disturbing photographs and installations show that truth and reality are two distinct things. When Sebastian is accused of murdering a young woman, seasoned lawyer Konrad Biegler agrees to represent him—and hopes to help himself in the process. But Biegler soon learns that nothing about the case, or the suspect, is what it appears.