"The Secret of the Dead Rector. Book 2" by Viktor Dashkevich, summary

Viktor Dashkevich’s detective fantasy novel "The Secret of the Dead Rector: Book 2" was published in 2025. The work continues the investigation into the death of the head of the Moscow Academy of Witchcraft, revealing the complex relationships between humans and supernatural beings in an alternate Russian empire. The author devotes particular attention to uncovering the past of Kuzya’s familiar and the political intrigue surrounding the Vault of Forbidden Spells.

The first novel in this series won the Reader’s Prize in 2024. In 2025, Yandex Productions acquired the film rights to the entire book series.

This book concludes the Academy investigation duology and is part of the extensive "Sorcerer of the Russian Empire" series, where it ranks fifth. Other notable works in the series include "Count Averin: Sorcerer of the Russian Empire," "Imperial Div," and "Demon from the Wasteland."

Preparation in Coimbra

Kuzya, disguised as a falcon, delivers news of Rector Svetlov’s death to the Portuguese Academy of Coimbra. He is met by Pedro, a powerful servant of the local rector, Don Cristiano. Kuzya is to carry out a secret mission for Vice-Rector Menshov. He must prepare for undercover work at the Moscow Academy. Pedro initially suspects him, as Kuzya’s collar bears the Averin coat of arms, not the Academy’s, but the seal on the tube proves to be genuine.

Pedro subjects Kuzya to severe tests. He locks him in a cell for misbehaving students, forcing him to memorize Portuguese and the history of Coimbra in six hours. For every mistake, the diva threatens to rip Kuzya’s ear off. Thanks to his excellent memory, Kuzya completes the task without any losses. Then the diva teaches Kuzya how to use silverware, protecting his hands with a thin film of soap, as silver burns divas.

Pedro finally sends Kuzya on an extreme test — gliding across the giant waves at Nazaré. The salt water quickly saps the divas’ strength, and the ocean instills an instinctive fear in them. Pedro demonstrates his skill, riding the enormous waves and performing somersaults. Kuzya overcomes his fear and stands on the board. He falls, but Pedro pulls him out just in time.

To complete the training, Pedro gives Kuzya a platinum cross to mask his powers and a rosary to conceal his collar. He also cuts Kuzya’s arm three deep times to simulate the scars from his summonings. Now, under the name Dinis Oliveira, Kuzya is ready to infiltrate the student body.

Secret student fraternity

In Moscow, Kuzya settles into a student republic called "Port Wine." This group is fascinated by anarchist ideas and Russian culture. Senior student Ana, along with Jose, Fernanda, and Sergio, give the newcomer a silver test. They hit him on the hands with a silver spoon and test his strength with a special device. Thanks to a protective film and an amulet, Kuzya manages to fool his peers.

Among the students, Afonso, the youngest son of the rector of Coimbra, stands out. He suspects Cusi’s demonic nature but decides to keep it a secret. Afonso shares stories of Pedro’s power and his influence over the destinies of the school’s leaders. It turns out that Pedro owns castles, vineyards, and even executed two rectors who harmed the Academy.

During a Portuguese fado concert, Pedro performs a dark, self-composed song about a broken heart. Afonso realizes it’s a veiled threat for his recent political protests with placards. To appease the diva, the young man takes to the stage with flowers, defusing the tension.

A mysterious shelter in the forest

Meanwhile, investigator Sergei Monchinsky awakens in a hidden tower in the middle of a dense forest. He was transported to this safe place by his mentor, Inessa, who absorbed the body of Rector Svetlov. This was done to save the talisman of obedience from an unknown assailant.

Sergei becomes the Keeper of the Key, the one responsible for the Academy’s Vault’s security. In a secluded village, he encounters fairy-tale divas possessing rare abilities. Among them are Korochun the Golden Cockerel, who can foresee danger, and Vasilisa, whose poisonous skin can rob people of their will. Vasilisa attempts to seduce Sergei, but Korochun stops her just in time.

Mentor Inessa tells Sergey about a recent attempted hack into the Vault. The culprit attempted to control Svetlov’s will with a forbidden spell. To save the talisman, the diva was forced to resort to extreme measures. She absorbed the rector to sever the connection with the talisman and transfer it to a trusted person.

Investigation by Averin and Vladimir

Count Hermes Averin and his div, Vladimir, set off for Shlisselburg. There, they pick up the sorceress Ekaterina Frenkel, who has been pardoned to conduct experiments in the Wasteland. Along the way, they discuss the nature of friendship between divs and humans. Vladimir insists that divs are merely tools, but Averin reminds him of his past devotion to Afanasy Repin.

Vladimir shares his memories of the events of 1770. His gravely ill master, Repin, did not want to die in a poor almshouse and asked the diva to devour him. Vladimir complied, after which he fought the diva Innocent and fled the city.

During a conversation with Ekaterina, it becomes clear that a forbidden spell, "Puppeteer," was used to control the rector. His work required an enchanted needle and was based on Frenkel’s old thesis. The sorceress’s academic advisor was Vice-Rector Natalya Andreyevna Demidova. Averin begins to suspect that Demidova created the artifact. However, the motive for the crime remains hidden.

Search for evidence in Moscow

At the Moscow Academy, Kuzya continues to monitor the suspects. He notices the strained relationship between Oleg Sokolov, Tatyana Kramtseva, and Matvey Svetlov. He notices that a strange div is hiding in Tatyana’s room, and that Oleg is in possession of a weak silver power-blocking amulet.

Oleg is keeping tabs on Vice-Rector Menshov. The young man is convinced that Menshov staged the rector’s death to seize the property of his son, Nikolai, who lost the mansion at cards. Nikolai Svetlov attempted suicide and is now hospitalized in serious condition. Oleg plans to collect evidence and hand it over to Averin.

Kuzya is exposed by Evgenia Menshova, the vice-rector’s daughter. She proposes joining forces to get to the truth and clear her father’s name. Evgenia promises to keep an eye on Tatyana while Kuzya gets closer to Oleg.

Exposing the real culprits

Events take an unexpected turn. It turns out that Rector Svetlov was killed by his own grandson, Matvey. The young man tried to talk to his grandfather about money for his father’s operation. But the rector ignored his grandson, as he was under the influence of the "Puppeteer" spell and was completely blind to his surroundings.

In a rage, Matvey hit his grandfather on the head with a rock. He stole Inessa’s talisman, and Tatyana helped hide the box by planting it in Menshov’s room. Matvey himself faked a fall from the roof to divert suspicion.

The person who ordered the Vault hack was Natalya Andreyevna Demidova. She loved the rector and desperately tried to restore his youth and cure him of a serious illness using ancient magical techniques. She had no idea that her actions would lead to tragedy. Demidova confessed to the crime and was sent to the hospital.

Consequences and new agreements

Menshov is elected the new rector of the Academy. Inessa returns with Sergey by helicopter. Matvey is taken into custody. Demidova faces trial before the Academy Board.

Emperor Alexander of the Wasteland offers Sophia a formal agreement on cooperation and the supply of divs. At a ceremonial ceremony in Omsk, the parties sign the contract. Alexander appears before his guests in his true glory, shocking the courtiers with his semi-human form and shining halo.

In the finale, Vladimir is officially appointed as an investigator for the Directorate, giving divas equal rights with humans. Research by scientists in the Wasteland reveals that the ice from the parallel world is not water, but pure demonic energy.