Amalia de Souza, a young Portuguese woman with generous additions of Malay and Siamese blood, known to readers from Master Chen’s novel “The Spy from Calcutta...”, believed that it would be easy and safe to find Chinese government agent Chiang Kai-shek, who had disappeared in Kuala Lumpur. Although she didn’t really want to take on this investigation - her second case... Amalia’s thoughts and feelings are occupied with something else. She is in love - she is sad because she does not know where that same spy from Calcutta has disappeared... But a character named Tony, mute in the first book, suddenly spoke. And my faithful friend Magda, a girl with a saxophone, came to help. And the matter, in which the stake is the fate of states and empires, becomes interesting and... deadly dangerous. And Amalia’s life again acquires taste, sound and color.

(back cover) Akunin’s real competitor has appeared - a man hiding under the pseudonym Master Chen. "NG ExLibris" Cultural, atmospheric, educational detective story... "Vedomosti" Master Chen belongs (almost alone) to the new school of Russian literature: his books break open and break this heavy drapery feeling. “Novaya Gazeta” A pleasure that is quite capable of replacing the reader’s trip to Goa or Thailand. “Private Correspondent”

< p>Master Chen is the author of two spy novels from the history of the 8th century: about the Great Silk Road and about the death and birth of the Chinese and Arab empires. Already after his first book, it became clear that a completely new voice, unlike anyone else, had appeared in Russian literature...Master Chen is distinguished by an elegant and easily perceived literary style, and the ability to choose the most unexpected places and times for his plots. The author’s powerful erudition is also admirable.