Sukhanov has dismissed their housekeeper Valya, accusing her of stealing his collection of ties, now missing from the apartment.

In the middle of a bleak family supper - haunted by Sukhanov's hazy childhood memories of his father - a youngish bearded stranger, complete with large suitcase, arrives, clearly expecting to lodge with the family.

He is apparently a cousin of Sukhanov's, whose mother has suggested to him that he stay with them, although his letter announcing this has not reached Sukhanov. The family resent the intrusion but are forced to accept Fyodor Dalevich's presence, and Nina gives him their bedroom.

Olga Grushin was born in Moscow in 1971 and spent her childhood in Moscow and Prague. In 1989 she became the first Soviet citizen to enrol for a full-time degree in the United States while retaining Soviet citizenship. In 2006 she was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for New Writers and named one of Granta's Best Young American Novelists in 2007. She has published two novels: The Dream Life of Sukhanov (2006) and The Concert Ticket (published in the US as The Line) in April 2010. Olga lives in Washington D.C.

Abridged by Jeremy Osborne

Directed by Marilyn Imrie
A Sweet Talk Production for BBC Radio 4. Show less