Diya romanu vidbuvayet′sya u mistechku Dunayivtsyach na Podilli. Tut oruduye maniyak, kotryy ubyvaye lyudey, vidrubuye yim holovy ta zachovuye nevidomo de, a tila neschasnych zalyshaye u lyudnych mistsyach. YAk vyyavylosya, nynishni zhachlyvi podiyi perehukuyut′sya, bil′she toho — bezposeredn′o pov’yazani z davn′oho lehendoyu pro Bezholovoho — zhorstokoho muchytelya prostoho lyudu pana Rzheuts′koho, yakoho kolys′ pokaraly za chyslenni kryvdy, vidtyavshy holovu. Voleyu doli u tsentri podiy opynyayet′sya kyyivs′kyy advokat Larysa, zavdyaky kotriy mistseva politsiya rozplutuye tsi strashni y zahadkovi ubyvstva. Dlya shanuval′nykiv detektyvnoho zhanru.