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Secret d'État #3
Le prisonnier masqué
595pages. poche. Broché.
595 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
About the author
Juliette Benzoni
304 books155 followersJuliette Benzoni, (Andrée-Marguerite-Juliette) was a French author and international bestseller in several genres, including historical romance, historical fiction, mystery and screenwriting. Named by the Media as the « Queen of History Novels » and « Daughter of Alexander Dumas».
Born 1920 in Paris and growing up in an upper-middle-class family. At the age of nine, she discovered her passion for history while looking at a photo of ‘Joan of Arc’. Benzoni studied at the Institut Catholique de Paris’, philosophy, law and literature. At the age of fifteen, her parents moved to Saint-Mandé where she lived until her death.
In 1941, she married a doctor from Dijon, and was soon mother of two children. During that period, she studied at the libraries of Dijon the History of the Dukes of Burgundy, where she stumbled on the Legend of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which would later inspire her for her Catherine series.
In 1950, her husband died and she went to Morocco, visiting relatives of her late husband and joined the editorial staff at a radio station and met her future husband, Colonel Count André Benzoni di Conza. They married in 1953, but because of the unstable political situation, she returned to Paris, while her husband was to join the 6th Regiment of Moroccan Spahis in Hué.
Back in Paris, she launched into journalism and worked for various Newspapers, Magazines and wrote for ‘Confidences’ historical articles and interviewed celebrities such as Jean Cocteau, Jean Marais, Erich von Stroheim and Maurice Chevalier.
In 1959, Gérald Gauthier, director of the Press Agency at Opéra Mundi, watched her in a popular television Quiz show and impressed by her historical knowledge about the Italian Renaissance asked her if she were able to write a historical romance series
in the style of Anne Golon's ‘Angélique’.
Benzoni affirmed, remembering her fascination for the ‘Order of the Golden Fleece’. Her research for that soon-to-become Bestseller took up three years and in 1963, 'Catherine, Il suffit d’un amour’ was published. The success was enormous and there followed in 1965, a Song called ‘Catherine, ma mie’ composed by Paul Amar, text by Juliette Benzoni.
The Catherine series was translated into 26 languages. Benzoni's Works includes: 3 Single Novels, 17 series, 18 self-contained short stories; 55 million Readers and 300 million books sold Worldwide. She was a huge fan of the books by Agatha Christie, Anne Perry and Ken Follet. In 1978 she received from the White House a letter by President ‘Ronald Reagan’ for the way she described in her Novel ‘The Lure of the Falcon’ the Independence War!
Four of her Bestsellers the ‘Catherine, Marianne, Le Gerfaut and La Florentine’ series were filmed for French television, for which she wrote the Screenplay, together with Jean Chatenet. Although her later works were not widely translated, in 1984, she was one of the top ten female French writers whose works were translated into English. Two weeks before her death in 2016, her last book ‘Le Vol du Sancy: Des carats pour Ava’? was published. It was the 15th adventure of her favourite hero Prince Aldo Morosini, a mystery series.
Her Awards and Honours:
1973 the Alexandre Dumas Prix, for the Catherine and Marianne series.
1988, the Prix Littéraire « Louis Barthou » Silver Medal from the Académie Française for Felicia au soleil couchant.
1998, the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit Medal, by Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.
Born 1920 in Paris and growing up in an upper-middle-class family. At the age of nine, she discovered her passion for history while looking at a photo of ‘Joan of Arc’. Benzoni studied at the Institut Catholique de Paris’, philosophy, law and literature. At the age of fifteen, her parents moved to Saint-Mandé where she lived until her death.
In 1941, she married a doctor from Dijon, and was soon mother of two children. During that period, she studied at the libraries of Dijon the History of the Dukes of Burgundy, where she stumbled on the Legend of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which would later inspire her for her Catherine series.
In 1950, her husband died and she went to Morocco, visiting relatives of her late husband and joined the editorial staff at a radio station and met her future husband, Colonel Count André Benzoni di Conza. They married in 1953, but because of the unstable political situation, she returned to Paris, while her husband was to join the 6th Regiment of Moroccan Spahis in Hué.
Back in Paris, she launched into journalism and worked for various Newspapers, Magazines and wrote for ‘Confidences’ historical articles and interviewed celebrities such as Jean Cocteau, Jean Marais, Erich von Stroheim and Maurice Chevalier.
In 1959, Gérald Gauthier, director of the Press Agency at Opéra Mundi, watched her in a popular television Quiz show and impressed by her historical knowledge about the Italian Renaissance asked her if she were able to write a historical romance series
in the style of Anne Golon's ‘Angélique’.
Benzoni affirmed, remembering her fascination for the ‘Order of the Golden Fleece’. Her research for that soon-to-become Bestseller took up three years and in 1963, 'Catherine, Il suffit d’un amour’ was published. The success was enormous and there followed in 1965, a Song called ‘Catherine, ma mie’ composed by Paul Amar, text by Juliette Benzoni.
The Catherine series was translated into 26 languages. Benzoni's Works includes: 3 Single Novels, 17 series, 18 self-contained short stories; 55 million Readers and 300 million books sold Worldwide. She was a huge fan of the books by Agatha Christie, Anne Perry and Ken Follet. In 1978 she received from the White House a letter by President ‘Ronald Reagan’ for the way she described in her Novel ‘The Lure of the Falcon’ the Independence War!
Four of her Bestsellers the ‘Catherine, Marianne, Le Gerfaut and La Florentine’ series were filmed for French television, for which she wrote the Screenplay, together with Jean Chatenet. Although her later works were not widely translated, in 1984, she was one of the top ten female French writers whose works were translated into English. Two weeks before her death in 2016, her last book ‘Le Vol du Sancy: Des carats pour Ava’? was published. It was the 15th adventure of her favourite hero Prince Aldo Morosini, a mystery series.
Her Awards and Honours:
1973 the Alexandre Dumas Prix, for the Catherine and Marianne series.
1988, the Prix Littéraire « Louis Barthou » Silver Medal from the Académie Française for Felicia au soleil couchant.
1998, the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit Medal, by Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 30, 2018
Un buen libro que cierra una buena serie!!! 4.5
January 30, 2020
This is a story not for the faint of heart.
It all started when two people's lives colided with each other as a consequence of a selfish, frivolous and corrupt french court. As they go along with their journey, fate and blood drag them into the middle of conspiracies and destructive secrets.
In the midst of such chaos and hostility, there is a love between those two people that will be tested again and again, through out time.
In a french court, where people are all puppets, played in the name of power and greed, who is going to be the last one standing? And will that love between those two people, be strong enough to survive a destiny of suffering and misery brought by shuch a court?
It all started when two people's lives colided with each other as a consequence of a selfish, frivolous and corrupt french court. As they go along with their journey, fate and blood drag them into the middle of conspiracies and destructive secrets.
In the midst of such chaos and hostility, there is a love between those two people that will be tested again and again, through out time.
In a french court, where people are all puppets, played in the name of power and greed, who is going to be the last one standing? And will that love between those two people, be strong enough to survive a destiny of suffering and misery brought by shuch a court?
January 19, 2015
I couldn´t stop crying in the edn, amazing ending and I must insist the writting is just amazing, you get a closure for every single topic, there are some chapters that you just don´t see them coming, it is just great!!!
For this trilogy I give 10 stars!!!!
For this trilogy I give 10 stars!!!!
January 24, 2026
El fin de la trilogía de Secreto de Estado vuelve a entroncar con las Novelas de los Mosqueteros de Dumas y fluye paralela al Vizconde De Bragelonne de Dumas. Silvie es llamada de nuevo a la Corte con ocación de la boda de Luis XIV con la infanta Maria Teresa y pronto se ve involucrada en las intrigas que propicia la muerte de Mazarino. Amiga de Fouquet cae en desgracia cuando este es arrestado tras el fiasco de Vaux le Vicomte y sufe la enemistad del ministro Colbert que se alía con varios de sus antiguos enemigos. Folletín sin complejos en el que vemos aparecer por fin a D'Artagnan y se confirma la historia de los herretes de la Reina. Luego la trama se aleja de Dumas y propone una solución diferente para el misterio de prisionero de la Mascara de Hierro puesto que como asistimos al nacimiento del Rey Sol, no puede ser su gemelo.
Un buen final para unas novelas de aventuras que se acercan demasiado a la novela romántica para mi gusto pero sin llegar a caer en ella.
Un buen final para unas novelas de aventuras que se acercan demasiado a la novela romántica para mi gusto pero sin llegar a caer en ella.
February 15, 2021
La historia de Silvie y Francois al final me terminó gustando a pesar de que su primer esposo me gustó más. También quería más participación de D'Artagnan pero esto no es un libro de los tres mosqueteros entonces F.
May 18, 2022
( ͡ಥ ͜ʖ ͡ಥ)
April 24, 2025
Excelente. Me encanto la trilogía. No deja de sorprender
November 29, 2011
This is the final book of the trilogy "Secret d' Etat".
Sylvie de Fontosomme saga continues when she retires to countryside in order to raise her children. His son's father name remains as a mystery. However, Louis XIV ordered her to come back to the Court.
In page 81, we have a big surprise when the famous Dumas musketeer D' Artagnan appears for the first time and takes place into the story.
Sylvie de Fontosomme saga continues when she retires to countryside in order to raise her children. His son's father name remains as a mystery. However, Louis XIV ordered her to come back to the Court.
In page 81, we have a big surprise when the famous Dumas musketeer D' Artagnan appears for the first time and takes place into the story.
March 12, 2009
Con un grado menos de calidad que los anteriores, pero también muy entretenido y muy bien ambientado.
May 28, 2010
Great end for a great story! <3
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews