A chilling story of ambition, Daphne du Maurier's novel about a twisted man will take readers on a journey through history from the perspective of a cruel individual. 

Julius Lévy has grown up in a peasant family in a village on the banks of the Seine. A quick-witted urchin caught up in the Franco-Prussian War, he is soon forced by tragedy to escape France for Algeria. Once there, he learns the ease of swindling, the rewards of love affairs, and the value of secrecy. 

Cruel and insensitive, Julius claws his way to the top, caring nothing for others—until his daughter, Gabriel, is born. Julius' attachment to her will become his strongest bond—and his greatest weakness.

"A literary artist in her own right." —New York Times​