What led Henry Rinnan, the son of a shoemaker, to become the most hated figure in Norwegian history? And why did a Jewish family move into Rinnan’s former headquarters after the war, the very house that had become the image of evil itself?

When author Simon Stranger learns that his wife’s family has lived in the house once occupied by the Rinnan gang – the dreaded Bande-Klosteret (gang cloister) – he starts researching the history of the Komissar family, examining the story of those that survived as well as those that didn’t. His findings force him to confront the darkest sides of humanity.

The novel delves into the life of Henry Rinnan, demonstrating the effects that humiliation and ostracism can have on the mind. At the same time, it also tells another story – one of resilience, unity, and how the human spirit endures, even in the face of unspeakable horrors.

Simon Stranger connects dots spanning across a century, containing both the most beautiful and terrible aspects of life.