Kjell Bergqvist is a priest for the Swedish church in Thailand, and he is happy with his easy life in an exotic paradise. Maybe he drinks a little too much and maybe he flirts a little too much with the married women.

Six American grad students have arrived in Africa to study apes with a renowned professor. But after setting up camp in a jungle clearing, they soon become witness to the carnage inflicted by the strange and remote species.

In 1816, the thirty-five year old Baroness, Jacquette Du Rietz dies. Count Gustaf Piper's grief is huge and in his despair he lets embalm his beloved Jacquette.

Sweden, shortly before Christmas. Surgeon Rickard is told the job he expected goes to a Dane, because of his substance abuse. It's too late to cancel dinner with his in-laws. The guest couple announces their in-vitro is a success. Then Richard's wife learns he cheated her with Sofie. Meanwhile ugly hag Anita trades drugs to afford a taser to use on her ex Olof and his former physiotherapist. Workaholic builder Anders is disgusted by his grieve-deranged client Knut's plan and decides to spend time on his family, not just money.

A couple, Anna and Simon, moves to Eskilstuna with their youngest son Gunnar. Simon begins an affair with Ingrid.

They are people who have important significance for each other, but are not honest with each other. They live in a shadow world of lies and half truths and just waiting for the truth to come forward so they can continue their lives in a new direction.