Great Evil and Minor Mischief

The Minister for Press and Information, Potapov, decided to go to a get-together of former graduates—unexpectedly for himself. He simply got released early. He regretted his idiotic impulse the moment a commotion erupted at the school around his person. After the evening, he stepped onto the school yard right after Marusya Surkova, whom he had once helped with copying. And then there was a clap—and Manя fell. Potapov caught her up from a pool of blood and, not hearing the guard’s cries, rushed her to Sklifosovsky. He was sure the bullet was meant for him. Strange, but who could know he would come to the school? That’s what the investigator thinks too: the attempt was made on Marusya. But then who would need her?.. Tatyana Ustinova is one of the top authors of modern Russian prose, winner of two “Electronic Letter” awards, and laureate of “TEFI” in the “Screenwriter for a TV film” category. “The first among the best” is what they call Tatyana Vitalyevna—and this is not just a witty epithet, but a title confirmed by dozens of written novels, successful film adaptations, and, of course, by the love of her many readers.