An experienced virologist, Anya Markova, gives up her personal and professional life in Moscow and moves to work at a research center in Novosibirsk. She is clearly trying to escape from some personal pain, but in a new place fate throws the heroine another test - an outbreak of an unknown disease is recorded at the site of an illegal dump of a large meat processing plant in a remote village.
Profiler Zoya Volgina is the best in the business: crime scenes literally come to life before her eyes. It is Zoya and a special employee of the Investigative Committee, Timofey Volokh, who are involved in a new investigation: in St. Petersburg, an unknown strangler embalms the bodies of his victims, turning them into statues. Zoya is familiar with his “handwriting” - many years ago she already encountered a very similar person.
