What to do if, suddenly, undeserved fame and money fell upon you, followed by mysterious threats, blackmail, anonymous letters, and maddening events? These events could have taken place in any large city, but in this book, we delve into an autumnal, thoroughly Almaty story, where the cautious and unambitious journalist Roland Baev, along with a daring circle of his eccentric friends, finds themselves at the center of a mysterious intrigue that has stirred all layers of the urban community. Here, the damp city, filled with smog, nostalgia, melancholy, hope, and culinary delights, becomes one of the main characters. Into the bright world of subtle intellectuals, biting adventurers, awkward dreamers, poets, and neurasthenics bursts something mysterious, fateful, and dangerous. It turned out to be a funny and terrifying read.