State Security officer Radek Malásek has lost days from his memory. The Státní Bezpecnost have lost one of their agents. Both seem connected to a circular "panelák' building in south Prague. Malásek, assigned to stay undercover in one of the apartments in case the missing officer returns, soon falls prey to the weird phenomena that have plagued the residents for years. Hideous effigies are left on balconies. People vanish. Spectral dogs appear out of the fog at night to prowl the gardens. And there is always a feeling that, no matter how sure Malásek is that he's alone in that apartment, there is someone else in the next room.
What seemed like a simple case of defection or espionage takes on a more sinister twist the further Malásek delves into the history of the building, its architect and its inhabitants. The drab concrete of the panelák hold the key to his missing memories and to something else much, much worse.
Panelák combines a Cold War era mystery and gothic horror in a novel perfect for fans of Stranger Things, or readers of John le Carre, Len Deighton or Ben Macintyre who want to try a story with a twist on the espionage genre.
