"The Dog and Its Leash" is a novel as brilliant as it is unexpected. Here, a dynamic plot, longing and the charm of the Russian outback, mysticism, and finally the mystery of one of the most important sacred places on Earth—the harsh monastic republic of Mount Athos—come together. Because of these circumstances, Leonid Mogilev’s new book goes beyond merely an entertaining detective story and an exciting guide through the monasteries and sketes of Athos; it becomes a reason for the deepest reader’s reflection on eternal questions: about life and death, about true values, about the purpose of human life.