Leo Demidov is a state secu­rity officer with a sincere belief in his country where, according to the official party line, its citizens live in a crime-free society, a workers' paradise. Leo and his wife, a teacher, stay under the radar living comfortably, unlike most Muscovites. When the murdered bodies of children lead Leo to form the opinion that he is dealing with a serial killer, he cannot elicit help because such crimes do not officially exist. Child 44 is a remarkable look at Stalinist Russia and a first-rate character study of a single person trying to serve justice.