The Day of Temptation

The Day of Temptation (1899) is a mystery novel by Anglo-French writer William Le Queux. Published at the beginning of Le Queux’s career as a leading author of popular thrillers, The Day of Temptation is a story of mystery, romance, and international crime. Using his own research and experience as a journalist and adventurer, Le Queux crafts an accessible, entertaining tale for readers in search of a literary escape. Known for his works of fiction and nonfiction on the possibility of Germany invading Britain—a paranoia common in the early twentieth century—William Le Queux also wrote dozens of thrillers and adventure novels for a dedicated public audience. Although critical acclaim eluded him, popular success made him one of England’s bestselling writers. In The Day of Temptation, two Italian expatriates share a meal in a modest home near London. Arnoldo Romanelli, a debonair young man, and Doctor Filippo Malvano, an older gentleman, have recently learned of the imminent arrival of Vittorina, a woman from their shared past who harbors a dangerous secret. Speaking in hushed tones, remembering a night known only to the three of them, the two men agree that Vittorina’s arrival would spell disaster for their newly peaceful lives. The only option, it seems, is for Arnoldo to journey to Italy before she can leave, to meet her under the guise of romance in order to marry her and keep her silent. Assuring Malvano that he can be trusted, that he will not let his desire or Vittorina’s beauty distract him, Arnoldo prepares to return to a country he fled for the sake of safety, to a past he’d thought to leave behind for good. This edition of William Le Queux’s The Day of Temptation is a classic mystery novel reimagined for modern readers.

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