The Mischief-Maker

British politician Sir Julien Portel finds himself framed in a scandal by the jealous and ambitious Mabel Carraby, who is intent on pushing him out of his role in order that her husband may take Julien’s place. Forced to take refuge away from the scandal in Paris, Sir Julien finds himself unwittingly caught up in a world of international espionage. Set in the years prior to WWI, ‘The Mischief Maker’ is a fascinating insight into the international tensions which were bubbling at the time. A gripping tale of mystery and intrigue from author E. Phillips Oppenheim.

E. Phillips Oppenheim (1866-1946) was a hugely prolific and highly popular British author of novels and short stories. Born in Tottenham, London, Oppenheim left school as a teenager and worked for his leather-merchant father for 20 years prior to launching his literary career. Oppenheim published five novels under the pseudonym ‘Anthony Partridge’ before establishing his reputation as a writer under his own name. An internationally successful author, Oppenheim’s stories revolved mainly around glamourous characters, luxurious settings, and themes of espionage, suspense, and crime. He is widely regarded as one of the earliest pioneers of the thriller and spy-fiction genre as it is recognised today. Oppenheim’s incredible literary success meant that his own life soon began to mirror that of his opulent characters. He held lavish, Gatsby-style parties at his French Villa and was rumoured to have had frequent love affairs aboard his luxury yacht. Oppenheim’s success earned him the cover of Time magazine in 1927. Some of his most well-known novels include ‘The Great Impersonation’, ‘The Long Arm of Mannister’ and ‘The Moving Finger’.