The book by Alexander Zerkalov is devoted to the study of the Yershalaim chapters of the novel “The Master and Margarita” through the prism of the primary sources of Bulgakov’s text - the canonical Gospels, the Talmud, the works of ancient historians and later authors, to whom the text of the famous novel directly or indirectly refers. Zerkalov does not reject what was written about Bulgakov’s work before him, but goes further than his predecessors: in the light of his conclusions, the text of the novel acquires new meaning, and Bulgakov appears not only as an outstanding artist, but also as a thoughtful researcher who is not alien to the scientific approach.