V. Yugov's detective works are distinguished not only by their dynamic, twisted plot, but also by their truthful, recognizable images of the heroes with their ambiguous attitude towards universal human values. This book includes the novel “The Man in the Circle” and the stories “The Loneliness of the Wolf,” “The Place That Doesn’t Exist,” “The Sort of Eternity.”

Automatic fire in pursuit of the escaping man. The first interrogation in the censor’s office. The landing of the “corn grower.” "in the juniper forest. Beria chooses the most difficult, but closest road.

The head of the outpost gives orders. Cook Egorov felt: something is wrong here! Was there visual propaganda at the outpost? “Can you kill the goitered gazelle?” Lena , wife of Colonel Shugov Pavel Afanasyevich.

Colonel Shmarinov warns me. Note from Lena. Zheleznovsky takes out the “Shugov case.” Widow of the head of the outpost Pavlikova.

Colonel Shugov's first love. Elena Meshcherskaya and the mysterious Colonel N. Meeting General S. Two small notes in the regional newspaper. Shugov's duel with General S. Meeting with Igor Zheleznovsky in Leningrad and the fate of Solomiya Zudko.

The “case” of the sergeants of the former Pavlikov outpost. Elena Meshcherskaya gives me a letter that tells about the last conversation with Colonel Shugov. 1953, March - a mournful and terrible month. Zheleznovsky is looking for contact with me.

Personal meeting with General S. How the case of the outpost sergeants turned out. About Shugov’s involvement in the theft of the Battle Manual. How love turned into tragedy. I was previously inaccurate: Sharuiko tells... And again Zheleznovsky, but in a new capacity.

Letters from Pavel Shugov. What does the letter N hide? Former Sergeant Sharuiko brings clarity. Pavlikova's friendship with Lena. Why did the colonel decide to cross the border in this particular area? What do General Kovalev's warnings mean?

Bolides are very bright meteors. Eternal snow in a leap year. Spring at the Pavlikov outpost. Do they remember him? Zheleznovsky as my guide. A train with the wounded. General Kovalev is inspecting. Lena, why did you come here?

The first testimony of Colonel Shugov. “I came here for a different purpose.” General Kovalev sends an assassin, who confesses to the Americans. Zheleznovsky’s special task. The plane heads for Munich.

The KGB archives are sailing to the West. Is former Colonel Shugov using new secret documents that have been discovered recently? Meshchersky is bringing more new and new documents. Life and death struggle. Did you die? Meshchersky at the hands of a robber? Or committed suicide?

I still find documents about Pavlikov and Smirnov. The former major of the quartermaster service Soloviev helps me. Meeting with Kravtsov, a faithful member of the Komsomol bureau. Daughter of Veronica Kruglovskaya, reader -reader, ready to testify. Zheleznovsky refuses to sign my letter.

Dmitry Vasilyevich Shmarinov gives testimony. How Pavlikov, Semyako and Smirnov were killed after all. The “case” of Solomiya Yakovlevna Zudko is over. Former censor Mamchur is trying “ push through" a poem about border guards. Is clerk Kravtsov guilty? The last day of Igor Zheleznovsky.