Katerina Blum, a young and beautiful housekeeper, who after hard work has managed to acquire a small apartment and a second-hand Volkswagen, unintentionally becomes the 'person of the day': at a carnival party, she meets and falls in love with Ludwig Gaütten, who, as it turns out, is wanted by the police for various 'crimes'.

Thus, Katerina suddenly finds herself in the crosshairs of the yellow press - represented by the Newspaper - and desperate from her humiliation, she resorts to the only defense left to her: she murders the corrupt journalist Teitges.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]