Books by Olga Sverchkova
I write about cities, relationships, memory, difficult choices and the kind of everyday life that rarely turns out as neatly as we imagine it will.
Here you can find all my books in one place. Some are available in full, while others can be read through free chapters on the site.
Here you can find all my books in one place. Some are available in full, while others can be read through free chapters on the site.
Nobody Told Me About TbilisiThirty illustrated stories about a city that does not explain itself all at once.
Thirty illustrated stories about a city that does not explain itself all at once.
I moved to Tbilisi in 2023 and began writing down the things that kept catching my attention: old houses, neighbours, taxi drivers, courtyards, strange rules, dogs, mountains, accidental conversations and the small details of daily life that gradually make a foreign city feel familiar. What began as notes became a book.
Available in full as an ebook and paperback.
Read the first chapters free on the site.
I moved to Tbilisi in 2023 and began writing down the things that kept catching my attention: old houses, neighbours, taxi drivers, courtyards, strange rules, dogs, mountains, accidental conversations and the small details of daily life that gradually make a foreign city feel familiar. What began as notes became a book.
Available in full as an ebook and paperback.
Read the first chapters free on the site.
The Alibi of St. PetersburgA crime novel in which St Petersburg is part of the investigation, not just the setting.
There is a defence advocate, a case from 2004, details that seemed unimportant for far too long and a city that is often better at keeping secrets than the people who live in it.
Read the first three chapters free on the site.
Read the first three chapters free on the site.
The Life Between Staying and LeavingLove, Sex, Money and the Mess of Being Together
Anna is a lawyer, Max cooks, there is a teenage son, two dogs, a rented house in Tbilisi and an owner who suddenly offers to sell it to them. What begins as an ordinary question about money gradually opens into something much larger: dependence, freedom, resentment, loyalty and the choices people postpone because making them would change too much.
This is a novel about what happens inside a relationship when the good was real, and what comes next will be real too.
Read the opening chapters free on the site.
This is a novel about what happens inside a relationship when the good was real, and what comes next will be real too.
Read the opening chapters free on the site.
Petersburg. It’s Normal.A book about a city where absurdity has long since stopped being surprising.
Weather, neighbours, public transport, courtyards, habits, rules that make no sense and the small daily scenes that can be irritating, funny and completely recognisable at the same time.
This is not a guidebook and not a declaration of love to St Petersburg. It is an attempt to understand why, after something thoroughly ridiculous happens, a local can simply shrug and say, “Yes. That’s normal.”
Read the opening chapters free on the site.
This is not a guidebook and not a declaration of love to St Petersburg. It is an attempt to understand why, after something thoroughly ridiculous happens, a local can simply shrug and say, “Yes. That’s normal.”
Read the opening chapters free on the site.
Where to start
If you are new to my books, I would start with Nobody Told Me About Tbilisi. It is complete, available to buy and probably the easiest way into my writing. You can also read the opening chapters free before deciding whether you want the whole book.
If you are more interested in relationships, money and the decisions people postpone for too long, start with The Life Between Staying and Leaving.
For St Petersburg, choose between the crime novel The Alibi of St. Petersburg and the observational city stories of Petersburg. It’s Normal.
If you are more interested in relationships, money and the decisions people postpone for too long, start with The Life Between Staying and Leaving.
For St Petersburg, choose between the crime novel The Alibi of St. Petersburg and the observational city stories of Petersburg. It’s Normal.
Books by Olga Sverchkova
I've been practising law in St Petersburg for more than twenty years. In 2023 I moved to Tbilisi, and writing became the centre of my work. The habit of noticing details and hearing what people leave out of their stories came with me from the law.
Frequently asked questions
Can I read the books for free?
Yes. Free chapters are available for all books. Each book section above links directly to the pages you can read on the site.
Where can I buy Nobody Told Me About Tbilisi?
Nobody Told Me About Tbilisi is available in full in digital and print formats. Purchase links are collected on the book page.
Are the books available in English and Russian?
Yes. All books are available in English and Russian. You can find the Russian editions on the Russian Books page.
New books and stories by email
New chapters, blog posts and book news, sent by email. Not often.