The novel perfectly complements the large-scale historical television project “Godunov” for the “Russia 1” channel. It contains many little-known facts about Godunov's brilliant and at the same time strange career. The position of the author of the novel does not give a clear answer as to whether Godunov was the “customer” of the murder of Tsarevich Dmitry, but allows readers to answer the question themselves: who was Godunov - a child killer and an intriguer? Or a great statesman and creator? The first Russian Tsar, Ivan the Terrible, dies, and his son Fedor ascends to the throne according to the law of succession. But Fedor is stupid and weak-willed and is clearly not capable of governing Russia. A holy place is never empty. The young boyar Godunov, who through intrigue entered the circle of the highest state elite, managed to quickly and completely seize power into his own hands. He built cities, returned Russian lands lost in wars, concluded peace treaties with neighboring states and had already reached the pinnacle of universal love and glory, when suddenly, under strange circumstances, the only legitimate heir to the throne, the young Tsarevich Dmitry, who was soon to take the royal throne, dies. What is this? Accident? Or Godunov’s cruel plan? People don't believe in chance. Boyar Vasily Shuisky begins an investigation into the death of the young prince...