The Duelist

A gripping, dynamic retro detective story by Yulia Yakovleva in the atmosphere of St. Petersburg in 1812.

Lieutenant Matvey Murin, after receiving a combat wound, returns to the capital. But having tasted real soldierly fire and hell during the Battle of Borodino, it’s not easy for him to find his place among brilliant salon ladies who pity him and ordinary civilians who boast about their patriotism. Suddenly, he’s approached for help by his comrade Proshin’s sister—Proshin has been arrested in a gambling house for the brutal murder of a woman. No one believes in the brother’s innocence except the girl, and she asks Matvey Murin to find the truth, no matter how bitter it turns out to be. Thus the main hero becomes a detective and must unravel a tangled story and restore justice.

By combining a mysterious detective plot with the atmosphere of early 19th-century St. Petersburg, Yulia Yakovleva created a thrilling novel where the sheen of the Alexandrian era and current themes intertwine—fatal love and destructive passions, cruel manners of high society, and a charming, sincere main character.

Listen to an exciting retro detective story in Grigory Perel’s brilliant performance.