The Red Carnation

The Red Carnation is a poignant and atmospheric tale that reveals Baroness Orczy's early gift for romance and suspense. Set against the turbulent backdrop of Revolutionary France, the story follows a young aristocrat whose fate becomes entwined with a single, symbolic flower — the red carnation. In a world where love is as fragile as it is dangerous, the bloom becomes a token of courage, passion, and sacrifice, standing out vividly against the terror of the guillotine. Short but powerful, this story brims with Orczy's hallmark blend of romance, danger, and historical atmosphere, foreshadowing the timeless appeal of her later masterpiece, The Scarlet Pimpernel.



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



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