October 1942. Two friends, a woman they both love, and a foundling boy find themselves on the tiny island of Sukho in Lake Ladoga just as the doomed garrison is repelling an enemy landing force that has arrived on 30 ships, preventing the Road of Life from being cut off.

Fleeing from bullies, twelve-year-old Artyom hides in an attic, where he meets a killer who has already set up his position and prepared for work.

The Cyrus the Great Diamond is stolen from an excavation site in Iran and falls into the hands of a Russian boy vacationing at the seaside with his family.

Leningrad under siege. Trezorka the dog hunts hares and brings them back to his owners.