Cold Eyes

A thrilling psychological detective story characterized by vivid characters and masterfully constructed intrigue.
A young journalist from Makhachkala stumbles into a Dagestani mountain village where a brutal murder has just occurred. Initially captivated by the investigation of the horrific crime, he... increasingly realizes how he is immersing himself in the grim, cold, and hostile atmosphere of village N, as if it is sheltering the murderer.
"In reality, I had dreamed of seeing something like this—bodies, a real cold-blooded murder, and that’s why I was so eager to rush into this cursed house. I grew up on the best detective series, stories, and journalistic investigations. I was in love with my profession because I felt I had the strength to be the person who would engage in real journalism in our republic, digging into politicians' dirty laundry, sticking my nose into any foul-smelling affair. And this feeling only grew as I realized that a resource had been found, willing to give assignments. I just had to wait for my chance. I waited. This is what I dreamed of. I dreamed of being part of a great story, a major investigation. But what did I end up with? Threats, insults, cold. Oh, and four dead bodies."
This story does not let the hero go for many years, forcing him not only to finally dig up the truth and decipher the name of the criminal, but also to understand himself and his life, in which much has gone wrong.
"At first, it seemed to me that he threw me a threat at the last moment to keep me from getting involved in this matter, and then, in hindsight, it dawned on me that he meant: so that I wouldn’t become a problem for the system as a whole. He is right. Any good journalist is a problem for everyone, starting from their family and up to the country as a whole."
"My conscience craved evidence, and if I could not provide it, it was ready to unleash a rabid dog that would bite me every time I closed my eyes."