The Life and Exploits of the Scarlet Pimpernel

More than three decades after first introducing her immortal hero, Baroness Orczy returned to celebrate him in The Life and Exploits of the Scarlet Pimpernel. This work gathers together some of the Pimpernel's greatest adventures, weaving them into a sweeping chronicle of the man behind the legend. Here, readers are given not only the daring escapades and ingenious disguises that made Sir Percy Blakeney a household name, but also a deeper look at his character — his wit, charm, and unshakable devotion to justice in the darkest of times. Set against the terror of the French Revolution, this book stands as both a thrilling anthology of exploits and a tribute to one of literature's first masked heroes, whose legacy has inspired countless adventurers ever since.

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