Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Baroness Orczy, the Hungarian-born British novelist who revolutionized popular culture by introducing the "hero with a secret identity". Best known for her iconic work The Scarlet Pimpernel, Orczy created the foppish Sir Percy Blakeney, whose dual life and daring rescues during the French Revolution established conventions now standard in superhero fiction.

We trace Orczy's journey from an aristocratic upbringing in Hungary to her massive success in London's West End, where The Scarlet Pimpernel broke stage records before becoming a bestselling novel series. Listeners will also learn about her contributions to mystery fiction and the Detection Club, including her creation of early female detectives in Lady Molly of Scotland Yard and the logic-driven sleuth in The Old Man in the Corner. Finally, we discuss her complex legacy, from her "perfect happiness" in marriage to her controversial conservative politics and leadership of the White Feather Movement during WWI.

Keywords: Baroness Orczy, The Scarlet Pimpernel, historical fiction, Sir Percy Blakeney, secret identity, mystery novels, Detection Club, Lady Molly, literary history.