The aim of this thesis was to analyze the role of society in Decorator by Boris Akunin, one of the most famous writers of Russian detective fiction. In the theoretical part of the paper, the society of Imperial Russia of the 19th century is presented with the intention of easier recognition of its reflection in the work. The analysis of the narrative showed that the action and reactions of the characters reflect the motivation arising from their social position. Thus, for example, Prince Dolgorukoi, despite numerous murders, cares most about his own reputation. The paper also points out that Decorator’s victims belong to marginalized groups, that is, to the lowest social class, and that the killer tries to make them “beautiful” because society has made them “monsters”. The state apparatus responsible for the security of the society is exposed as primarily centered on the emperor, that is, on his visit to Moscow instead of the investigation of the murders, which clearly illustrates the priorities in the society of the 19th century marked by the poverty of the majority of the population and the neglect of the common man.