The novel takes place in Russia in the summer of 1856 on a vast estate owned by Marya Karpovna, a widow of forty-nine years old. Upon the arrival of her son Alexei in Gorbatovo, a silent war begins between him and his mother: he defends his independence, she defends her unquestioned power. Like a spider, Marya Karpovna drags more and more victims into the web that she tirelessly weaves, experiencing a truly devilish desire to lure her loved ones into a trap, immobilize them, deprive them of their will, and what will there be - blood and soul! And she is not shy about the means to achieve her goal... The rumblings of this family battle shake the entire estate. The reader, drawn into a fascinating story and following the heroes in the numerous vicissitudes of their existence, against his will, falls under the magnetic influence of the owner of Gorbatovo. And at the same time he gets acquainted with the heady beauty of the Russian village, patriarchal customs, secret knowledge and folk superstitions that enchant everyone, who, unfortunately - or fortunately? - I happened to find myself in the shadow of an extraordinary woman named Marya Karpovna. The novel was written in the best traditions of Russian literature and will be a wonderful gift not only for fans of Henri Troyat, but also for all connoisseurs of classical Russian prose.