Grim, recently retired 'iron judge' Ernst Blessing lives alone with his dog since his only daughter left angrily 18 years ago. Suddenly he's informed she died in a car crash, which landed her husband, Turkish Kurd Baran Amedi, in hospital. Loner Ernst is now required to mind his grandchildren, which he didn't even know having, resourceful rebel Dilo and his brat sister Hewi. Both sides' prejudices and principles are tested in practice. When Dilo finally respects Ernst and wins his heart, Baran arranges for the kids' 'repatriation' with a backward uncle.

Set against the backdrop of the succession of Queen Elizabeth I, and the Essex Rebellion against her, the story advances the theory that it was in fact Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford who penned Shakespeare's plays.