The Scarlet Pimpernel

By Baroness Orczy

"The Scarlet Pimpernel" is a seminal work of historical fiction and adventure set against the turbulent backdrop of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror. As the guillotine claims the lives of the French aristocracy in 1792, a mysterious and elusive figure emerges to rescue the innocent from the jaws of death. Known only by the sign of a small red flower, the Scarlet Pimpernel leads a secret society of English gentlemen who risk their lives to spirit condemned royalists across the Channel to safety.

At the heart of the story is the enigmatic Sir Percy Blakeney, a wealthy and seemingly vapid fop whose outward persona masks a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. As the French agent Chauvelin relentlessly hunts for the Pimpernel's true identity, Sir Percy must navigate a web of intrigue, espionage, and shifting loyalties-all while keeping his secret even from his beautiful wife, Marguerite St. Just. Baroness Orczy's masterpiece is a thrilling tale of heroism, sacrifice, and the birth of the modern secret hero archetype. Readers will find themselves captivated by the suspenseful plots, the high-stakes rescues, and the enduring romance that defines this classic of world literature.

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As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025443500
• ISBN13: 9781025443508
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.09 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.2"

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.