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Audiobook edition · 6 h 20 minPaperback · 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.
Who will love it
You will enjoy this if you like true crime, nineteenth century travel, and tales of disguise and escape seen through one adventurer.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A familiar face hides another life
- Privilege leaves Frederick without guidance
- A secret marriage drives him away
- Betrayal becomes an excuse for violence
- Others pay for Frederick's crimes
- Punishment sharpens cunning rather than conscience
- Apparent bravery conceals another escape
- Another marriage cannot restore his standing
- Every escape carries him further away
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A Servant of Satan
by Louis Berard · 1889
A charming count in Madrid hides a past of poison, escape and murder in many corners of the globe.
Medium level2–5 hours to read2 languages
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In short
What would you do if the charming count who once sat in your carriage turned out to be a convicted murderer? Louis Berard asks that question about a real man.
A Servant of Satan at a glance
- Reading time
- About 3 h 25 min2 h 45 min fast, 4 h 5 min slow
- Length
- 48,900 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1889by Louis Berard
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A king's godson grows up unloved
Frederick von Waldberg is born in Berlin in 1849 and named for King Frederick William IV of Prussia. The king and queen stand as his godparents. His father, Count Heinrich von Waldberg, is the king's friend since boyhood and a skilled ambassador.
The boy's mother dies when he is barely a year old. She leaves her whole fortune in trust for him. The childless queen takes the curly-haired child into her private apartments and acts as his mother for three years.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1889
- Language
- English
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
Berard, Louis. A Servant of Satan. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/a-servant-of-satan.
Berard, L. (2026). A servant of Satan. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/a-servant-of-satan (Original work published 1889)
Berard, Louis. A Servant of Satan. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/a-servant-of-satan.
@book{berard2026servant,
author = {Berard, Louis},
title = {A Servant of Satan},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/a-servant-of-satan},
note = {First published 1889}
}
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What is A Servant of Satan about?
It follows a Prussian count's son who, after a scandal, lives under false names across Europe, Asia and America. He escapes prisons, wins fortunes, deceives lovers and ends up in Paris as the man called Prado.
Who was Prado in real life?
Prado was the alias of a man executed in Paris on December 4, 1888, convicted of the murder of Marie Aguetant. The book gives him the name Frederick von Waldberg, a name the author says is a disguise for the real family.
Is A Servant of Satan a true story?
It is presented as a true story, based on a confession the condemned man gave the author. Readers should take its details as the author's account, shaped from notes into one narrative.
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