“The Dog and His Guide” is a novel as brilliant as it is unexpected; it brings together a dynamic plot, the melancholy and charm of the Russian hinterland, mysticism, and, finally, the mystery of one of the most important holy places on earth - the harsh monastic republic of Athos mountains. Thanks to these circumstances, Leonid Mogilev’s new book goes beyond just a fascinating detective story and an exciting guide to the monasteries and monasteries of Athos, it becomes an occasion for the reader’s deepest reflection on eternal questions: about life and death, about true values, about the purpose of human life. p>