The Palace with a Slipped Roof

Makeup model Stepanida Kozlova has her work cut out for her—more than enough! Too bad, not in the most pleasant way. How could she miss the cup set with precious stones that she was entrusted to guard like the apple of her eye? Now the winner of the contest for the best boutique employee will be left without a prize?

No way—Stepa herself lost the cup, so she’ll find it! But there have been too many thefts: from the jewelry department of their store, ridiculously expensive necklaces and a ring have been stolen.

And the next day, the sales clerk Katya—who had been hovering near the cup and the jewelry all the time—fell from the fifth floor of the nearby department store and died.

An accident? Suicide? No, Stepa doesn’t believe it!

Now she’ll have to unravel all the cases at the same time. And even the stunning news won’t stop her—her beloved grandmother nicknamed “Squirrel”… is going to get married!

Darya Dontsova—our country’s most popular and in-demand author, a favorite of millions of readers. More than 200 million copies of her books have been sold in Russia. Darya Dontsova’s detective stories are written in a special style: besides an intensely interesting plot, they always feature subtle humor, healthy optimism, and an unconditional belief in the triumph of good over evil. This is exactly what you need for rest, relaxation, and peace of mind. Read Darya Dontsova’s books, and your hearts and souls will be filled with light, optimism, joy, and confidence in the future. They will infect you with a desire to live, to enjoy every day, and to believe in the best.

“Don­tsova is an incredible hard worker! I don’t know any other writer who works as much as she does. I respect her as an example of writerly diligence. Women need psychological support—and they get it from Dontsova. I myself, in my time, read several of Dontsova’s novels. Very different people read her—busy businesswomen who want to switch their minds off for a while, and housewives who have a 15–20 minute break between pick-up and drop-off the children.” — Galina Yuzefovich, literary critic

“In Darya’s case, all the detective seasoning is just a background for revealing characters and relationships between people. There’s always intrigue, and until the very last episode it’s unclear what happens, how, and why. In that sense, the genre requirements are fully met. Darya Dontsova, of course, is one of the best.” — Dmitry Kharatyan

“I started reading a long time ago and got hooked! And now I’m reading Dontsova’s novels. I’m resting with them. Dontsova herself is an intelligent woman; she has gentle humor and not scary plots—everything is with positivity and hope for a good ending. It’s wonderful.” — Larisa Udovichenko