Description

The anthology “Murderous Love” brings together masterfully crafted works by Russian classics where the brightest human feeling turns into a dark, devastating tragedy. In this collection of unmatched psychological depth and realistic intensity, love does not create but destroys, pushing heroes toward fatal acts — from cold-blooded murders driven by blinding jealousy to desperate suicides born of heartbreak. These pages explore the terrifying line between obsessive passion and madness. Is it love, or is it a destructive desire that strips a person of their will?

“Murderous Love” offers a chilling look into the human soul when a romantic obsession becomes a lethal trap. For fans of tragic romance, historical psychological thrillers, and intense classic fiction, this collection uncovers the fatal consequences of unrequited feelings and forbidden lust, proving that the closest companion to a consuming passion is often death itself.

Contents of the Anthology

Alexander Kuprin “Allez!”: The tragic story of a circus performer, Nora, whose sincere love for a beast trainer is met with cold indifference. Unable to endure the betrayal and the emptiness inside, she makes her final leap — no longer in the arena, but into eternity.
Ivan Bunin “Gentle Breath”: The story of a young schoolgirl, Olya Meshcherskaya, whose spontaneous femininity and thirst for life lead to a senseless and brutal death at the hands of a rejected lover.

Ivan Bunin “The Caucasus”: A story about the secret escape of lovers to the south, where their brief happiness is overshadowed by inevitable retribution. While the two enjoy their intimacy, the deceived husband chooses the only path of honor available to him — a bullet.

Nikolai Leskov “Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District”: A dark tale of Katerina Izmailova, who turns into a serial killer for the sake of her passion for the clerk Sergei. Love here appears as a dark, uncontrollable force that sweeps away everything in its path.

Ivan Bunin “The Case of Cornet Elagin“: A psychological drama based on a real trial. At the center of the plot is the strange, morbid relationship between an officer and an actress, ending in the voluntary death of one and the shattered fate of the other.

Leo Tolstoy “The Devil”: The story of Eugene Irtenev, whose obsession with the peasant woman Stepanida becomes fatal. The author shows how carnal desire strips a person of their will, forcing a choice between madness, murder, or suicide.

Anton Chekhov “The Shooting Party”: A detective story about how base passions hide behind the outward brilliance of noble life. The beautiful Olenka becomes a victim in a tangled knot of jealousy, vanity, and unrequited feelings.