About the book: 2024 / A novel about wartime, about the difficult destinies and dangerous work of unknown heroes who were part of the strike force of “Beria’s special forces.” 1944. The Soviet command receives an intelligence report that the retreating fascists are preparing to infect the area in western Ukraine. To do this, they intend to distribute poisoned children's toys, sweets and clothing in populated areas. Maxim Shelestov’s group is tasked with finding and destroying a train with dangerous “gifts”. The operatives arrive at the laboratory where the fanatics conducted experiments on children, and find documentation there that interests them. Perhaps it indicates the place where the deadly virus is stored... Shelestov understands that the Nazis, embittered by failure, can implement their plan at any time. Hours and minutes count down... “This series is good because it conveys the correct main idea: in the NKVD, Lavrentiy Beria knew how to trust people, because the People’s Commissar himself knew how to trust them. The story of Major Shelestov’s group is similar to the real story of a major Abwehr agent, former staff captain of the tsarist army Nelidov, who ended up in the Lubyanka in September 1939. The adventures of Maxim Shelestov and his comrades described in this novel look all the more probable against the background of Nelidov’s story.” — S. Kremlev.