The story takes place in Malmo 1943 between the first day of school after Christmas and the last day of the term, just before the summer holiday, June 8, 1943. When Stig, nicknamed "The Stockholmian" because he was born in Stockholm, meets his new teacher, Viola, his life changes radically. The fact that she is 37 and Stig is 15 and that she is his teacher make their affair complicated, but not impossible. Viola's husband Kjell, a salesman dealing in ladies' underwear, is not the faithful kind of husband, and therefore Viola regards her actions as completely justified. Still, it's the first time she's actually been unfaithful to her husband. Maybe the fact that Kjell drinks a lot, makes him less alert to his wife's new love life. Stig and Viola's affair becomes more and more dangerous for both of them, but especially Viola, who risks everything. One day, however, Stig realises that love does exist in the shape of someone his own age and Viola makes him pay dearly for this realisation.