First published in 1866, Crime and Punishment is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s psychological masterpiece, exploring guilt, morality, and redemption in the shadowy streets of St. Petersburg. The novel follows Rodion Raskolnikov, a penniless ex-student who commits a brutal murder under the belief that extraordinary individuals are above moral law. As the psychological weight of his crime bears down, he is drawn into a tense battle of wits with the shrewd detective Porfiry Petrovich — and toward a profound reckoning with his own conscience. A gripping blend of crime drama, moral philosophy, and human psychology, Crime and Punishment remains one of the most influential works in world literature.