Vadim Polikarpov

A Duma deputy and his wife have been murdered. While investigating the crime, Major of Criminal Investigation Anatoly Topol encounters an unusual phenomenon — the so‑called “secret red mercury”. Red mercury has all the properties of a typical synthetic substance, but its energy content is many times greater than that of plutonium. Who is developing this mysterious “weapon” and for what purpose, under conditions of the strictest secrecy? Solving this mystery leads Anatoly to very high levels of power...

Ukraine, the village of Semyhory. Two sons get married in the Kaidash family - Karp and Lavrin. But there is no peace in their home. Constant quarrels in the family between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law force the sons to share their father's property. Native people become enemies when it comes to the distribution of property.