Orczy, Emmuska. First published in 1905, this magnificent historical adventure is filled with colorful characters, hairbreadth escapes, and heart-stopping intrigue. In 1792, the French Revolution gives way to a Reign of Terror, and the condemned nobility has only one vestige of hope–rescue by the elusive Scarlet Pimpernel. Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon starred in the unforgettable film version of this novel.