"This gripping, fast-paced novel will keep you at the edge of your seat. An unidentified flying object lands in a small Russian town. A fearless American journalist is determined to find out why it is there. Russian bureaucrats will stop at nothing to keep it a secret. A lineup of men show up with ambiguous loyalties and intentions. The mystery turns into a thriller. Love blossoms in unlikely places. At the heart of it is a small town, full of life and hope, sprouting under the shadow of "the Old Man."
Written by a Russian and American duo, the novel shows textures of daily life with empathy, keen observation, wry wit, and ease. Several decades in making, the story feels as fresh and relevant today as on the day of its first draft. Loosely set the 1980s, it brings forth perennial themes of Russia's politics: secrecy, suspicion, unchecked power, and survival. It also reads like a fable, a metaphor for the changes to come." —Yelena Lembersky, finalist for 2022 Indie Book of the Year and National Jewish Book awards