When you stand on a cliff and the whole world is under you, there are only two desires - to take your own life or... to settle in a mental hospital... Military engineer Geoffrey Thompson decided to take his own life on a picturesque cliff in an abandoned corner of Scotland. But the unexpected happens: at the last moment, he is literally rescued by force by the inhabitants of the only house that survived in a deserted snowy area. A fireplace, a hot dinner and... a very strange society: an old deserter with a bullet in his head, a retired actress who is always changing images, an artist who paints bloody pictures. Jeffrey does not immediately realize that he is in a mental hospital. The chief doctor, who tests his unusual methods on patients, is also suspicious. But real horror gripped Thompson when, on the first night, one of the guests fell out of the window. The first strange death was followed by a second, then a third... The embittered company unanimously decides that the new guy is to blame for these crimes... A fascinating novel in the style of a good old detective story from the rising star of Russian action literature, Tony Branto. Deep psychologism, an unexpected combination of tragedy and humor, an unpredictable outcome. “How I yearned for a good detective story. Sedate, sophisticated, imbued with the noir romance of secrets. This novel is a deep tribute to the classics of the genre. Everything about it is “English”, starting from the name itself. Don't forget to pour yourself a mug of tea before you start reading." – Henry Cyril, bestselling author of The Screenplay. “80 Cigarettes” and others “An incredibly atmospheric novel. Each new chapter is like a turned page in the medical history of the inhabitants of a creepy house. You don’t fully know what they will do next minute and who is ultimately to blame for all these atrocities. You can’t shake the feeling that at this moment you are alone with a black void, and an endless blizzard is sweeping around and you can hear someone’s cautious steps...” - Nikolai Prokofiev, book editor