Arkady and Boris Strugatsky's little detective story combines a locked room murder with a science fiction twist. Jeff Vandermeer, author of the Southern Reach trilogy, povides an enlightening foreword that sketches in the Stalin-era context for this odd story. I appreciated the weird collection of guests and staff at the remote inn and the Strugatsky brothers' spin on the classic detective novel, but I wasn't entirely sure that scifi provided a satisfying ending. If you don't expect *too* much from the climax and if you enjoyed Vandermeer's three novels, you'll probably appreciate this one.