The puppet crown

The city of Bleiberg is humming with unrest. The public’s discontent with Leopold the puppet King is further fueled by traitors and self interested courtiers and the vengeful Duchess of Auersperg is orchestrating a war against the King. A chance meeting brings young handsome American diplomat Maurice Carewe, face to face with his friend, English millionaire Lord John Fitzgerald. While Maurice fights for the love of beautiful Princess Alexia, Lord Fitzgerald surrenders to the captivating Madame Sylvia Amerbach. Caught up in a tangled web of intrigue, cunnings and veiled allurements, each man’s love, honor and friendship is put to the ultimate test.

Harold MacGrath (1871-1932) was an American author and screenwriter born in Syracuse, New York. He is best-known for his adventure, mystery, and spy stories, especially The Puppet Crown (1901). Starting as a journalist, he also contributed several of his short stories and novels to various magazines. After his first novel, Arms and the Woman (1899), he published The Puppet Crown, The Million Dollar Mystery (1915), and The Blue Rajah Murder (1930). He died at the age of 61.