Special Assignments (with a commentary)

We are pleased to present the new edition of the fifth book about Erast Fandorin, "Special Assignments," which contains two novels: "The Queen of Spades" and "The Decorator" with a unique addition - a chapter titled "Commentary," which will reveal... amazing details about the creation of this book. The Queen of Spades. Picaro-detective. 1886. The only novel by Akunin in which no one is killed. A great swindler and a great detective engage in a complex game, where any victory can turn into defeat.  The Decorator. Maniac-detective. 1889. The most brutal novel in the series. It is better not to read while eating. Also not before bed. The texts are accompanied by "Commentary" - an appendix that tells about the "behind-the-scenes" world of the stories. In this chapter, Boris Akunin shares who inspired him to write the novel and who became the prototypes of the characters, how the main plot lines and their unexpected twists were formed, and what real events and historical details laid the foundation of the work.