The term “case” denoted mystical stories, usually told at night - such as the current “Evenings on a farm near Dikanka”. This was folklore, along with ditties and jokes. L. Petrushevskaya at an early age told these “cases” everywhere at night - in the orphanage, in the pioneer camp, in children's tuberculosis forest schools. But they came much later - and were now written down in notebooks. But it was possible to publish them only decades later. And the current book consists of such mystical stories.

It also includes the author’s predictions: “At the end of 1976 - beginning of 1977, I wrote two stories - “Hygiene” (about an epidemic in the city) and “New Robinsons . Chronicle of the end of the 20th century” (about the escape of urbanites to the countryside). In November 2019, I wrote the story “Hello” about isolation, and in March 2020 it began. At the beginning of July 2020, I wrote a story “The Old Bus” about the seizure of a bus with passengers, and a week later this happened in Ukraine. These four predictions - at a distance of forty years - you will find in this book."

Petrushevskaya's stories have become absolute world classics - they have been translated into many languages, awarded the World Science Fiction Prize (2010) and recognized as a bestseller according to The New York Times and Amazon.

Scary stories are an indispensable companion to children's gatherings, be it a hospital ward, a room at a holiday camp, or nightly vigils around the fire. There will definitely be a dreamer who will come up with something of his own; others will remember old stories about black streets and living limbs. Stories told in other circumstances do not evoke that sacred awe that arises in the dark under the conspiratorial half-whisper of a comrade.

Many such stories have been erased from memory. But there are those who wrote down the experience. And he added his own, unique and creepy fantasies. We are talking about Lyudmila Petrushevskaya’s collection “Black Coat. Terrible cases." The author not only preserved memories of childhood horror stories, but created her own unique stories that penetrate to the depths of the soul.

Petrushevskaya writes easily, unpretentiously, as if she is having a friendly conversation with the reader. And you also feel uneasy when you find out what exactly the stories are about. An understanding comes that one short text contains a big life, with all its absurdities, disappointments, meaningless torments and aspirations. The works are frightening, depressing, smoldering in the hands, like the last match, followed by pitch darkness. No clearance. Without hope. Without the opportunity to open your eyes again and look at the world with love.