Leningrad is under siege. The house where Tanya, Shurka, and Bobka, orphaned by their parents, lived was bombed. It's a good thing Aunt Vera has a key to another apartment. But winter is approaching, and for some reason my stomach keeps hurting, new neighbors are disappearing one after another, Aunt Vera is still nowhere to be found, and Tanya has lost her bread ration cards... The frozen, empty city seems to hunt for those still alive, and those who cannot be called alive come to life. Trying to escape, the children find themselves in Tuonela—a world where time stands still and different laws apply. To escape, Tanya, Shurka, and even little Bobka will have to make a choice—or else the gray man in the creaking cart will catch up with them.

'The Stolen City' is the second of five books in the 'Leningrad Tales' series. The first, 'The Raven's Children,' was named the top event of 2016 in teen literature, shortlisted for the Yasnaya Polyana literary prize, and included in the international 'White Ravens' list—among the top 200 books from 60 countries.