Leni Pfeiffer, a woman living in the ruins of post-war Germany, becomes the subject of an exhaustive investigation that exposes the moral decay and social pressures of her environment. Leni navigates the wreckage of Nazi Germany and the subsequent reconstruction period, attempting to maintain her personal integrity while facing intense scrutiny from a society obsessed with conformity. The narrative framework utilizes a complex, documentary-style approach, relying on the testimonies of various acquaintances to reconstruct Leni's life. These witnesses provide conflicting perspectives, forcing the reader to piece together the truth behind her solitary existence and her defiance of societal norms.

Readers and critics frequently note the technical ambition of the novel, specifically its use of a fictional investigator to compile the life story of the protagonist. Discussion often centers on the effectiveness of the multi-perspective approach in highlighting the hypocrisy of the German middle class during and after the war. Many highlight the balance between the clinical, objective tone of the reports and the deeply personal, often tragic nature of Leni's experiences. The pacing is described as deliberate and methodical, requiring patience as the narrative layers accumulate to form a complete portrait. The work is widely recognized for its contribution to the understanding of individual resistance within a totalitarian framework.