Crime and punishment: Crime and Punishment is a classic novel written by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The story revolves around the life of Rodion Raskolnikov, a poor ex-student in St. Petersburg, Russia. Raskolnikov, influenced by his intellectual ideas, commits a premeditated murder of an old pawnbroker and her sister. The novel explores the psychological and moral consequences of Raskolnikov's crime. As he struggles with guilt and paranoia, he becomes entangled in a cat-and-mouse game with the detective investigating the murder. Raskolnikov's internal conflict and the subsequent punishment he faces serve as a vehicle for discussing philosophical and ethical questions surrounding the nature of crime, punishment, and redemption.