Purely Russian Crime: The Most Notable and Mysterious Criminal Cases of the 18th – 20th Centuries

In the new book by the renowned human rights activist and journalist Eva Merkacheva, author of the bestsellers "High-profile Cases", "The City of the Doomed", and "Who is Well off in Russia", interesting criminal cases are narrated – from those that resonated throughout Russia to those that were secret (until recently). It includes judicial proceedings from the tsarist era, including trials of witches and poisoners. For the first time, unique court documents related to Leo Tolstoy – a world judge, jury member, and… defendant in a murder case – are published. You will learn about the trials of the executioner of Lieutenant Schmidt and about the high-profile case of the inventor of the theremin, Termen, and read about justice in besieged and post-siege Leningrad, as well as the famous post-war judicial proceedings.

The author painstakingly gathered materials on the murders of Soviet citizens during peaceful years that shocked the entire country – such as the Raskin case, the terrorist attack at Kotlyakovsky Cemetery, and the mysterious death of the expedition at the Dyatlov Pass. The book includes the resonant cases of Joseph Brodsky regarding parasitism and the large family of Ovechkis for hijacking a plane in the 1980s.

The book is written in the genre of judicial essays and contains unique archival materials, including illustrations, many of which have not been published before.

Victor Hugo said: "For me, it does not matter whose side strength is on; what matters is whose side right is on." However, at different times, right has appeared in different guises. There were periods when our country prosecuted people for things that seemed outrageous to discuss in other times… I invite the reader to stroll through the judicial archives with me and immerse themselves in the atmosphere of ancient justice – however it may seem from today’s perspective.