In the 19th century, two Egyptian sphinxes were installed in St. Petersburg—previously they had adorned the mortuary temple of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. After that, terrifying events began in the city: on Vasilyevsky Island, a maniac appeared, killing girls while hiding behind the mask of the god Anubis.
Detective Aristarh Venediktovich Svistunov and his loyal assistant Glafira are present when the sarcophagus of a priest is opened at Princess Murotova’s. But instead of a five-thousand-year-old mummy, an executed stablehand of the princess Archip is found. And on the sarcophagus there is a dreadful curse from the Egyptian priest: everyone who disturbs his rest will face death…