"Dark Water" by Tatyana Korsakova, summary Automatic translate

Tatyana Korsakova’s 2019 novel "Dark Water" is a unique work at the intersection of a mystical thriller and a psychological detective story, in which folkloric motifs of Slavic mythology are intertwined with the dark secrets of human cruelty. The book’s main strength is its masterful buildup of suspense, where the boundaries between real crimes and the otherworldly world of lake spirits blur, forcing the characters to seek the truth in their own blocked pasts.

Mysterious return to Zagoriny

Nina, along with her four-year-old son, Artemy, who suffers from autism, arrives in the remote village of Zagoriny. She is desperately fleeing pursuit by Stas, nicknamed Janissary, the cruel brother of her deceased partner, Igor, a major financial criminal. Nina took the incriminating documents from Igor and fled, but Janissary managed to track her down and inflict severe beatings, the marks of which she conceals. Her only refuge is an old house on the shore of Lake Dark Water, inherited from her late mother.

Having reached the outskirts in Semyon Petrovich’s cart, the fugitive stops at the home of Olga Vasilyevna Shiptsina, known as Shipichikha. This reclusive old woman, knowledgeable about medicinal herbs, immediately recognizes Nina as the daughter of her old friend.

Shipichikha gives her guest a healing infusion to relieve the pain and helps her settle in. At her request, gamekeeper Yakov Merezhin takes Nina and her child to an abandoned house by Lake Dark Water. Yakov is visibly nervous at the mention of this gloomy body of water. The house itself turns out to be a sturdy, spacious structure with stilts, hanging directly over the black surface of the lake. An antique wrought-iron bed, a wardrobe containing beautiful dresses belonging to the previous owner, Alena, and a sewing machine remain.

Nina settles into her new home, but the very first night brings anxiety. She hears frightening splashes under the terrace, and in her dreams she feels the touch of icy hands smelling of wet wool.

In the morning, she finds little Artemy at the water’s edge, mesmerized by the lake’s depths. Gamekeeper Yakov helps Nina with her shopping at the local hardware store, "Radosti Zhizni." It’s owned by his school friend Gennady Sychev, who limps after a wild animal attack a long time ago. Upon learning who’s settled by the lake, Sychev offers a huge discount on a generator and a pump.

The tragedy of the past and the awakening of the lake

At the village café "Steklyashka," its owner, Ksenia, tells Nina the terrifying story of this place. It turns out that exactly 20 years ago, during Rusalka Week, Nina’s great-grandmother, Avdotya Silichna, was murdered by the water. At the same time, young Alena and her three-year-old daughter, Nina, disappeared without a trace. Locals have always blamed Sergei Lyutayev, nicknamed "Lyuty," who was sentenced to a long prison term, for the tragedy.

Ksenia mentions that for many years, young women have disappeared in the lake during Rusalka Week. Local legends say their souls transform into navokas — dead lake maidens who lure men to the bottom. During these same days, the Entity — a dangerous, red-eyed monster — becomes active in the forests. It also turns out that 20 years ago, Gennady Sychev was seriously injured by this creature, and the owner of the local boarding house, Yegor Berezina, nearly drowned, leaving Yakov’s heart full of lingering guilt.

Nightmares and Rescue

The second night at the lake turns disastrous. Awakening from another nightmare, Nina discovers the heavy bolt is open and Artemy is gone. In the thick fog, she dives into the icy water and sees a long, dark figure dragging her son away. Nina manages to intercept the boy, but her strength fails her. They are rescued by their neighbor, Vadim Chernov, a strong man who built his own house on the shore. He brings the injured to shore in his boat and provides first aid.

At Vadim’s house, Artemy unexpectedly utters his first word — Essence. The boy clutches a tuft of silvery fur tightly in his fist.

Chernov treats and stitches the laceration on Nina’s shoulder, noticing terrible bruises on her body. Because the child has a high fever, Vadim decides to take them to the hospital, but Shipichikha orders the boy returned to the lake immediately. The old woman enters the water with them and completely submerges Artemy in the waves. At that moment, dead lake maidens rise from the depths, and the water around them instantly freezes over.

After the ritual, Shipichikha gives the child water from the nearby "Svetlaya Voda" (Light Water) pond, and the fever disappears without a trace. The old woman declares that their roots are inextricably linked to this place and carves protective symbols on the door bolt. Soon, Nina discovers that the wound on her shoulder has instantly healed, leaving only a white scar. In the bedroom, behind the mirror, she discovers the secret room of her childhood.

Meanwhile, new tragic events unfold in the village. Yakov finds the body of a young guitarist who performed at Ksenia’s café in the reeds, but the police arrive and find no trace of the body. Sergei Lyutaev, released from prison, returns. Gennady Sychev shows Vadim the purple scars on his stomach, claiming that Lyutaev was unfairly accused of past deaths, as it was a real monster that attacked people. Yakov confesses that many years ago, mermaids nearly drowned his friend Berezin.

Dead End

In search of the truth, Vadim and Yakov head to an abandoned sawmill, where Lyutayev’s old partisan dugout is located. Inside, they find a pot of warm food and an old photograph of a young Lyutayev and Alena.

Suddenly, the heavy oak door closes from the outside, and the ventilation hole is blocked with a log. Trapped without oxygen, Chernov begins to lose consciousness. Blocked memories of his own childhood surface before Vadim’s eyes. He recalls his mother, Zhenya Simonova, now a Navka, coming to his window and calling him to follow her. To save her grandson, Vadim’s grandmother took him away from Zagoriny, and Silichna cast a spell of oblivion and subdued the monster Entity with her own blood.

Vadim is brought out of his reverie by the scraping of claws — the Entity is digging up the earth above the window, rescuing the captives. Yakov shoots at the fleeing shadow, and the men climb outside, hurrying toward Nina’s house.

Clash on the shore

A Janissary infiltrates Nina’s house, sending her a threatening message: "I’m coming for you, bitch." He demands the return of Igor’s incriminating evidence. Nina emerges into the courtyard wearing an embroidered shirt and a wreath of water lilies, obeying the call of the awakened power of the Dark Water. She lures her pursuer into the lake, where he is surrounded by hungry navkas. The Janissary’s death becomes retribution for his crimes.

At this point, Gennady Sychev appears on the terrace. Nina, who has fully regained her memory, directly accuses Sychev and the paralyzed Berezina of the murders of Zhenya Simonova and Silichna. Sychev confesses to the crimes committed 20 years ago and reveals that his son, Slavik, strangled the guitarist. Lyutayev emerges from the woods, gun in hand, defending his daughter.

A snowstorm begins, the water boils, and the navkas rise from the lake, led by Zhenya and Alena. The spirits of the lake maidens drag the distraught Sychev into the depths. Nina uses her power to guide the souls of the dead mothers and the navkas through the opened gates of the worlds. The lake clears, and the Entity follows them.

New life by the lake

A year passes. The lake’s water clears, and fish are swimming in it again. Nina and Vadim get married and live happily in his house with Artemy, who has completely recovered from his illness and speaks fluently.

Sergei Lyutaev moves into a house near "Dark Water," reconnecting with his daughter. Slavik Sychev is arrested after his late father’s confession, and Berezina dies under mysterious circumstances in the boarding house’s swimming pool. At the end of Mermaid Week, a small, long-legged, silver-furred puppy runs onto the terrace of Nina and Vadim’s house. Artemy joyfully embraces it, recognizing it as his old friend, Sushchik. Red sparks flash in the puppy’s brown eyes for a split second, heralding the return of their family’s faithful protector.