Veikko Laakso

St.Petersburg, 1830. An arrogant Finnish baron is playing cards with a Russian officer. Needless to say, the Finn wins and the Russian gets extremely annoyed. The situation is not helped by the fact that the baron has been seeing a girl that the Russian officer has also set his eyes on. They decide to have a duel and after the Finn wins fair and square, he has to escape because the untrustworthy Russians are after him.

A TV reporter is murdered when he is eavesdropping on a secret Finnish-Soviet conference. The National Broadcasting Corporation enlists the help of police lieutenant Palmu, who comes out of retirement for this case. However, some have their doubts about the loyalities of Palmu, seeing that he was spotted in a diplomatic soiree in Moscow just a few weeks before the murder.

Olli Suominen goes through the usual troubles of a teenager. After being in the war he is trying to find his place in the society. And the relations with his family is in turmoil. He also finds the sweet life in restaurants more exhilarating than being in the school and reading books for the forthcoming student exams.

A small village provides a scene for intrigues, fights, love, jealousy, accusations, and revenge.