Crime and Punishment

Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881), is the Russian author famous for exploring psychological and existential depths in his work, most notably in The Brothers Karamazov and this here Crime and Punishment. It focuses on the mental and moral wrangling of Raskolnikov, a poor St. Petersburg ex-student who plans and acts out the murder of a conniving scoundrel - a low life pawn broker who's got some desperately needed cash.

Raskolnikov justifies his act by comparing himself to Napoleon, thinking that some murder is committed for a higher purpose. He also sets out to perform good acts with the money to outweigh his crime. Crime and Punishment was written in 6 parts, and it's fascinating to note that the novel has a clear, almost mathematical balance to it. It's said to look like a "flattened X" in its structure, and Raskolnikov changes directly in the middle. If you haven't read any Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment is a murder mystery to end all murder mysteries.