The Woman of Mystery

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

The Woman of Mystery

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

A newlywed's return to his wife's family estate uncovers a childhood trauma, a wartime conspiracy, and the identity of his father's killer. Set against the backdrop of pre-World War I tensions, this tale blends mystery with historical drama.

Summary up to 500 words

In Maurice Leblanc's *The Woman of Mystery*, Lieutenant Paul Delroze and his newlywed wife, Élisabeth, travel to the family estate of Ornequin following the death of Élisabeth's mother, the Comtesse Hermine d'Andeville. The estate, once a vibrant home, now stands abandoned and haunted by the Comte's grief and Paul's own traumatic memories of his father's death and a mysterious encounter with the German Emperor. Upon arrival, they are greeted by Jérôme, the estate keeper, who reveals the family's long estrangement from the Comte due to the Comtesse's tragic past. As the threat of war with Germany looms, Paul is tasked with a reconnaissance mission near the Yser canal. There, he discovers the corpse of a German spy, Rosenthal, and finds a photograph among his effects. Dated 1902—four years after the Comtesse's supposed death—the image reveals she was alive and working as a spy for Germany. Paul realizes the woman haunting his memories is the same one who killed his father and mother. He tracks the spy network to a blockhouse near the canal, where he confronts Major Hermann, the head of the German secret service, aided by a traitor within Paul's own unit, the Belgian Laschen. Witnessing the Comtesse's execution by firing squad despite her pleas for mercy, Paul and his brother-in-law, Bernard, are forced to confront the moral complexities of justice versus vengeance. Later, they capture Prince Conrad, a German royal held in a casemate. Bernard stages a mock execution to photograph the prince's terrified face before arranging a prisoner exchange. Paul delivers the Comtesse's incriminating letters to the Emperor, securing the release of French prisoners and avenging his father's death. The novel concludes with the aftermath of the war, depicting the devastation left behind and the enduring moral questions of the conflict.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks-2/maurice-leblanc_woman-of-mystery.epub

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data/epubs/url-df64f6a0ba19a0e6.epub

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2026-08-13 17:07 UTC

Categories

• Adventure
• Mystery