Alexandre Dumas, the master behind The Three Musketeers, takes a sharp turn into true crime with this lesser-known gem. Forget swashbuckling heroes; here, the villain steals the show.

The Story

Based on a real 17th-century scandal, the plot follows the Baron de Saint-Sauveur, a rich old man looking for a peaceful final home in Paris. He finds it at a boarding house run by the charming Madame Constantin. But her kindness is a trap. La Constantin and her shady associates see the Baron not as a guest, but as a walking fortune. What unfolds is a cold, calculated plot of slow poisoning, forged documents, and brutal betrayal. It's a tense game of cat and mouse, where the cat is dressed in respectable clothes and the mouse never sees the danger coming until it's far too late.

Why You Should Read It

This book is a fascinating change of pace from Dumas's usual adventures. The tension doesn't come from sword fights, but from dreadful anticipation. You're watching a crime play out in slow motion, screaming at the pages as the Baron walks deeper into the web. La Constantin herself is a brilliantly crafted monster—believable, ruthless, and all the more terrifying because she really existed. Dumas digs into the dark underbelly of Parisian society, where respectability was often just a mask for pure evil.

Final Verdict

Perfect for readers who love historical fiction with a true-crime edge. If you enjoy stories about fascinating villains, or if you think Dumas only wrote about daring heroes, this will be a thrilling surprise. It's a short, sharp, and sinister tale that proves history's greatest crimes often happen behind closed doors, served with a smile.