6 h 20 minAudiobook3 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What if the man welcomed into the drawing room hides a life of deception and murder?
In A Servant of Satan, Louis Berard follows Prado, a criminal said to move among respectable people while concealing deceit and violence. A false name, an invented past and borrowed rank help him win trust. In a world where manners can pass for proof, charm becomes a tool for opening doors.
The story reaches across three continents, following lies, pursuit and the law that slowly closes in. Drawing rooms, clubs and fashionable resorts give Prado cover, while borders offer fresh strangers and distance from those seeking him. Berard presents a popular true crime account that carries the reader from the impostor’s deceptions toward the courtroom.
What you’ll discover
- A criminal in plain sight Meet Prado, an assassin presented as a man who knows how to appear respectable.
- The tools of deception Follow the false names and invented past that make other people’s trust so useful.
- Behind the drawing room door Enter a social world where reputation can count for more than proof.
- A pursuit across borders See how distance and gaps between police forces give a clever criminal room to move.
- The path toward court Follow a notorious criminal’s story as the law begins to close around him.
Is it for you?
This book suits readers who like true crime, stories of impostors, and the dark side of nineteenth century and early twentieth century society. It may be less suited to those who want strict academic history or who dislike accounts of violence.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A criminal who lived in plain sight
- Deception is the criminal's main tool
- High society gives cover and opportunity
- Three continents, one pursuit
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A Servant of Satan
by Louis Berard· 1889
A criminal hides deceit and violence behind a social disguise.
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Language: English
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 4
A criminal who lived in plain sight
The center of the book is Prado, presented as an assassin who did not look like one. Accounts of this kind stress that he moved among respectable people and borrowed their manners. His danger lay in how ordinary and pleasant he could seem.
The title points to the moral frame the author gives the story. A servant of Satan is a man who serves evil by choice, not by accident. Books of this type often use such language to make clear that the writer sees the crimes as deliberate and cold.
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What is A Servant of Satan about?
It is a true crime narrative by Louis Berard about Prado, an assassin and impostor who used false identities and the trust of high society to hide his crimes across three continents.
Who is Prado in A Servant of Satan?
Prado is the criminal at the center of the book, presented as a deceiver who moved among the wealthy and respectable while living a hidden life of violence.
Is A Servant of Satan a true story?
Yes. It is presented as a true account of a real criminal case, written in the style of popular true crime narratives rather than as an academic history.
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