The Man Behind

May 1877—the beginning of the Russo-Turkish War. A chance meeting at a tavern in St. Petersburg sets off a chain of dramatic events. The murder of an official from the Ministry of the Imperial Court only at first glance seems like an ordinary crime. Besides the police and the Third Section, a nondescript man is also following the trail—someone holding a quiet post. He enjoys the minister’s trust, and both his mind and his sharpness could make masters of investigation envious. His opponent is a special kind of person—until the very end, he remains in the shadows. Acting through other people’s hands, this malicious intruder pursues a truly grand goal. There can’t be a “no one loses” outcome—someone must lose…