In the text, the protagonist, Liesel, is making her usual round to the mayor’s house to pick up their wash to which the mayor’s wife, Frau Ilsa Hermann, gives to Liesel. However, instead of having the bag of wash, Frau invites Liesel to come in, alarming her. The reason for Liesel’s odd reaction is because Frau caught Liesel stealing a surviving book from the book burning ritual a couples days earlier. Liesel at first declines the invitation, but is later lured by a books. Once inside the mayor’s home, Liesel discovers that a huge collection of books to which Frau allows Liesel to read, thus, beginning a strange relationship.
