"Love Has No Voice, or The Hunt for Lisa" by Alisa Korsak, summary Automatic translate

Alisa Korsak’s 2009 novel "Love Has No Voice, or The Hunt for Liza" tells the story of the rescue of a mute provincial girl who witnesses a monstrous crime. This book combines elements of a thrilling detective thriller and a classic romance, with the helpless heroine’s savior being a selfish metropolitan editor.

An unexpected meeting

On a wintery January evening, Maxim Legostaev, creative director of a Moscow magazine, is rushing to a date with his girlfriend, TV presenter Laura Light. A woman’s silhouette suddenly appears in front of his car on the icy road. Maxim manages to swerve the steering wheel, and his Mazda crashes into a deep snowdrift.

After getting outside, Maxim discovers a stranger lying on the side of the road. She doesn’t smell of alcohol, but she’s groggy and unable to speak. Believing her to be a drug addict, a frustrated Maxim drags her into a wooden gazebo on the playground.

Not finding the capricious Laura at home, Maxim, his conscience tugging, returns to the park forty minutes later. He finds the freezing girl unconscious under a layer of snow. He takes her to his warm apartment and tries to warm her up in a hot bath. As he undresses, he notices her wearing funny multi-colored socks with individual toes.

The Secret of the Silent Guest

Upon regaining consciousness, the guest reveals herself to be young and attractive, but completely unable to speak. Maxim initially assumes she’s mentally ill, but the girl finds a way to communicate. She sits down at his work laptop and opens a word processor.

Using the computer, Maxim learns the name of his guest — Liza Tikhomirova. She recounts her backstory in detail, and Maxim gradually begins to sympathize with her plight.

Lisa’s past

A year ago, Liza was working as a speech therapist in a provincial kindergarten and was about to marry Artyom. Her happy life was shattered by a car accident that killed her artist aunt, who had become like parents to her.

Liza herself survived, but the shock she suffered triggered aphasia — a complete loss of speech due to psychological factors. After this, Artyom abandoned Liza, and the kindergarten director forced her to resign due to her muteness.

Liza traded in her apartment for a smaller one and bought a used computer for three hundred dollars with the help of her friend’s brother, Vasily. She began working part-time as a typesetter for science fiction writer Ivan Semyonovich. Her only remaining close friend was her faithful school friend, Lenka.

Seeking support, Lisa registered on the online support forum "Odinochka.ru." There, she met Oksana, who goes by the pseudonym Evelyn, who showed genuine concern for her plight.

Death trap

Evelyn introduced herself as a neurophysiologist and invited Lisa to Moscow for a consultation with the renowned Professor Polyansky. Lisa pooled her savings of four thousand dollars and agreed to go.

On the platform of Belorussky Station, the girl was met by Alexei, who introduced himself as Evelyn’s brother. He brought Liza to a secluded two-story mansion and treated her to tea laced with a powerful sleeping pill.

Liza regained her footing and overheard Alexey’s conversation with an elderly gentleman who resembled a famous actor. They were discussing transporting the girl to an elite, gated community for wealthy sadists.

Struggling to overcome her paralysis, Liza managed to escape through the locked door and reach the trolleybus. The conductor kicked her out into the freezing cold without any money, after which she fainted in the roadway in front of Maxim’s car.

Life under someone else’s roof

Maxim invites Liza to stay with him as a housekeeper in exchange for help with her medical examination. He enjoys the homey atmosphere created by the efficient woman, who cooks wonderful dinners and bakes cakes. Maxim especially likes the Napoleon cake, covered in a thick layer of chocolate icing.

Soon, Laura Light arrives at the apartment. She throws a jealous tantrum at Maxim, insults Lisa, and calls her "pathetic." Maxim pacifies Laura by concealing Lisa’s true story and presenting her as a deaf-mute orphan working for pennies. For him, a mute maid becomes a convenient solution to his everyday problems.

Attack and pursuit

On the 20th, Maxim takes Liza to Polyansky’s rehabilitation center. Laura catches up with them on the steps of the clinic and attacks her rival.

At that moment, an unknown sniper opens fire on them. One bullet shatters a granite step, another knocks out the glass door.

Maxim hides the women in the hallway. Laura is convinced that her former boss, Solodovnikov, shot her after she threatened to leave for another television channel.

Maxim sends Liza home by taxi, hiding her from the police. He continues to look after her, despite the displeasure of his capricious lover.

Soon, Liza is nearly hit by a black car at an intersection. That evening, Maxim’s drunken friends show up at the apartment, and her friend Seryoga attempts to rape Liza in the office.

Maxim beats up the offender and throws out the guests. Maxim’s sister Anyuta helps him buy Liza a new white jacket with a fur hood to replace her torn fur coat. The next day, Liza goes shopping, and Alexey attacks her in an alley, trying to strangle her with a nylon cord.

Maxim manages to save Lisa, but the criminal escapes. At home, Lisa stumbles upon an online news story and recognizes a photograph of the well-known deputy, Yegor Melezh.

It was Melezh who was Alexei’s elderly accomplice at the mansion. Maxim realizes that Lisa has become a dangerous witness for a high-ranking sadist who is arranging the murders of mute girls.

Rescue operation

Criminals kidnap Maxim’s sister, Anyuta, demanding an exchange for Liza. Maxim realizes the bandits will leave no witnesses alive.

Maxim turns to his mother’s uncle, FSB General Fyodor Shvets, for help. He plans a covert operation, in which Maxim and Lisa agree to act as bait. Shvets warns them that for fifteen minutes before the assault, they will have to stall without cover.

Maxim brings Liza to the Melezh country castle. Alexey takes the girl and orders Maxim to be shot. In that terrifying moment, Liza, in severe shock, regains her ability to speak and screams loudly, "Maxim!" Her scream is cut short by a shot from an FSB sniper.

The assault begins. Special forces destroy the bandits, free Anyuta, and save Liza, who has been wounded in the shoulder. Deputy Melezh commits suicide at his country house.

Happy ending

Liza is recovering in the hospital, where Anyuta and her surgeon husband, Vladimir, visit her. Anyuta asks Liza to leave and leave Maxim behind to protect him from further trouble. Liza agrees, gathers her things from her wardrobe, and secretly departs for her hometown, leaving a farewell letter.

Maxim falls seriously ill with pneumonia and is hospitalized. In his absence, Laura Light, out of envy, destroys his beloved collection of crystal figurines and leaves him for good, for a wealthy oligarch.

Having recovered, Maxim learns from Laura the truth about the destruction of the collection. He realizes his true feelings for Lisa, takes her passport from Fyodor Shvets, and immediately sets off for her city. Maxim finds Lisa on the street and gives her the surviving crystal dragon figurine with an engagement ring on its tail. Lisa reciprocates his feelings, accepting his proposal.