Fantomas: Being the First of the Series of the Fantomas Detective Tales (Volume 1)

The Marquise de Langrune is savagely murdered in her chateau, a certain Lord Beltham vanishes, a princess is robbed of her jewels, and an ocean liner sinks. Behind these mysteries Inspector Juve of the Paris Sûreté recognizes the hand of the Lord of Terror, Fantômas. Chasing false leads, tracking suspects in disguise through the dive bars of the underworld, he is obsessed with catching the shapeshifting arch-criminal who haunts the Parisian bourgeoisie. “From the imaginative standpoint Fantômas is one of the richest works that exist.” —Guillaume Apollinaire “Absurd and magnificent lyricism.” —Jean Cocteau