The English-language debut of Anton Chekhov's first collection of mystery and suspense tales.

Considered one of the greatest dramatists of all time, Anton Chekhov actually began his literary career as a crime and mystery writer. Scattered throughout periodicals and literary journals from 1880-1890, Peter Sekirin brings together these psychological suspense stories in a premier collection that provides a fresh look into Chekhov's literary heritage and his formative years as a writer.

In stories like "A Night in the Cemetery, Night of Horror," and "Murder," not only will Chekhov's dark humor and twisted crimes satisfy even the most hardboiled of mystery fans, readers will again appreciate the penetrating, absurdist insight into the human condition that only Chekhov can bring. Whether it is the death of a young, amateur playwright at the hands of an editor who hates bad writing, or a drunken civil servant who ends up trapped in a graveyard, these stories overflow with the unforgettable characters and unique sensibility that continue to make Chekhov one of the most fascinating figures in literature.