by Bernhard Schlink, book published 1999, translation by Carol Brown Janeway, Audiobook released 2008, narrated by Campbell Scott, Random House Audio

The book started out with some steamy passages in which a fifteen-year-old boy has an affair with an older woman who is working as a streetcar conductor in postwar Germany. He becomes totally enthralled with her, but she is secretive about her past. Then one day she disappears with no explanation. Much later, as a graduate law student, he encounters her at her war crimes trial.

The book is short and extremely well written. At the beginning of the book, I had no idea where it was going, but it addresses some profound moral questions regarding personal responsibility and shame.

The narration by Campbell Scott is excellent.