Don Matteo is a thoroughly ordinary Catholic priest with an extraordinary ability to read people and solve crimes. He’s a parish priest who never met an unjustly accused person he didn’t want to help.

Once upon a time in post-war Rome: 13-year old Aurora, a gifted pianist, is the daughter of Valerio, a brilliant conductor. After Aurora's mother died, Valerio hired Irene, a single mother of two girls, to run the household. To Aurora's regret he decides to marry Irene. One day, Aurora happens to meet the boys next door, Freddy and Sebastian, the sons of a wealthy Italo-Austrian family. Freddy is an easy-going chap, though sometimes a little bit arrogant. His brother Sebastian is kind and shy, with a great ability to listen to and understand people, which makes him win Aurora's heart.