The Emperor's Candlesticks

The Emperor's Candlesticks is a tale of espionage, political intrigue, and unexpected romance, set in 19th-century Europe. When a pair of exquisitely crafted candlesticks become the secret hiding place for dangerous documents, they pass from hand to hand across borders, drawing together diplomats, spies, and aristocrats in a deadly game of deception. At the center are two rival couriers — an English nobleman and a beautiful Russian woman — whose mission and loyalties are tested as fate binds them to the same perilous object. Blending romance, suspense, and high adventure, Baroness Orczy crafts a story that is at once cosmopolitan and thrilling, showcasing her early flair for plots of disguise, danger, and tangled passions.

Baroness Emmuska Orczy (1865–1947) was a Hungarian-born British novelist, playwright, and artist, best remembered as the creator of the legendary hero The Scarlet Pimpernel. Born in Tarnaörs, Hungary, she moved to London in her youth and established herself in literary circles with her flair for romantic adventure and historical drama. Orczy's groundbreaking novel The Scarlet Pimpernel (1905) introduced readers to Sir Percy Blakeney, the daring English aristocrat who, in disguise, rescued French nobles from the guillotine during the Revolution—an archetype that inspired countless masked and double-identity heroes in popular culture, from Zorro to Batman. Beyond the Pimpernel series, she penned detective stories such as The Old Man in the Corner, historical romances, and even works on Hungarian life and folklore. Her works combined suspense, wit, and a deep love for heroism, earning her international acclaim. Orczy continued writing until her final years, leaving behind a legacy as one of the pioneers of modern adventure and mystery fiction