The corpse of an unknown man was found in the mansion of Baron Reden. There is a scarlet mask on the face of the murdered man... Alexey Koloskov, a senior candidate for judicial positions, begins to investigate his first case. But mysterious incidents make the investigation of the crime very difficult. Are supernatural forces really involved?! An ancient portrait of a red-haired maid of honor comes to life, a mysterious romantic date ends in a nightmare, a dead man in a scarlet mask pursues Koloskov... The young Baroness Reden believes that her great-great-grandmother - the maid of honor from the portrait - is interfering in the events of these days from the other world. Unknown evil forces are trying to present Alexei as an accomplice to the crime. What secret is hidden under the scarlet mask? Will the young investigator be able to solve it? The book is published in the author's edition