The Scarlet Pimpernel

By Baroness Orczy

The Scarlet Pimpernel is a historical adventure novel by Baroness Orczy, set during the French Revolution (1792). It is one of the earliest and most famous spy and superhero-like adventure stories, influencing later heroes like Batman and Zorro.

During the Reign of Terror in revolutionary France, thousands of aristocrats face execution by the guillotine. However, a mysterious English nobleman known only as "The Scarlet Pimpernel" daringly rescues them and smuggles them to safety in England. His identity is unknown, but he leaves behind his signature symbol-a red pimpernel (a small flower)-as his calling card.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0DZ4MQHMJ
• ISBN13: 9798897181872
• Release Date: February 2025
• Publisher: Lushena Books
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

“It was the sound of a good, solid, absolutely British ‘D-a-m-n-!’”

I first saw several movie versions of “The Scarlet Pimpernel” and always wanted to see the Play. With the purchase of a Kindle and text-to-speech, I could not afford to pass up the book. I was amazed to see that the book started similarly to the movies, with the telling of the bloodlust of the French Revolution and how one man, for the sport of it, saved many from the guillotine, thwarting the authorities and tricking the sergeant at the city gate into letting him through. Then I was afraid the story was going to bog down as we took a long time to drudge through a scene in an inn. I did not realize this was meant to introduce the major players in the soon-to-be mystery. The essence of the story was best said in the book: “Only between these two hearts there lay a strong, impassable barrier, built upon pride on both sides, which neither of them cared to be the first to demolish.” The story picks up after Marguerite realizes what she has done by giving away the pimpernel's identity and decides to make amends. Usually, I cannot stand flowery writing or long descriptions of feelings. But for some reason, this book was so well written that what would seem like extraneous information enhanced the tale. I also noticed it is told mostly from Lady Blakeney’s point of view. Once again, this is a case of the book being better than the movie. I was surprised to find the Pimpernel poem came from the book: They seek him here; they seek him there. Them Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in Heaven? Is he in Hell? That d-a-m-n-e-d elusive pimpernel.