A new novel about the outstanding detective Lev Gurov—the hero of the oldest detective series. In 25 years, about 200 volumes have been released in print runs of tens of millions. In a country park, the daughter of a deputy, Kiprasov, is murdered—Liliya, a student. The girl was immobilized with an electric shocker and then had a huge nail driven into her temple. Detective Lev Gurov puts forward his first versions: the professional activity of the girl’s father, in the past a combat officer who fought in the Caucasus; strained relations between Liliya and her stepmother… The colonel and two “majors”—fans of the murdered girl—also attract attention. They have made a serious bet on her. The sleuth builds a psychological portrait of the killer and realizes that the criminal must be found among the “informals”—for example, within a secret organization operating at the university where Liliya studied. It’s no coincidence that membership there is sealed with blood…