The collection includes two stories written in the psychological detective genre. In the adventure-psychological story by Roman Romantsev, the confrontation between the investigator and the criminal is determined not only by their social roles, but also by the personality types embodied in them. Moreover, between them, as the canons of the genre require, is a woman. The narrative tactics chosen by the author allow the reader to identify himself sequentially with each of the heroes of the story - and thus, perhaps, more clearly identify the forms and formulas of the moral laws of life. In the story by Vladimir Kondratiev, the tragic incident seems to be devoid of motives, it seems to only carry out the will fate. Death, as retribution, ends the split existence of one of the heroes, devoid of internal stimulus. The mystery is revealed thanks to the powerful intuitive effort of the detective, his penetration into the psychological circumstances of the crime.