The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings

by L.T. Meade, Robert Eustace, Sidney Paget (Illustrator)

This is a series of linked short stories involving what may be the world's first female diabolical criminal mastermind, Madame Koluchy. Norman Head had as a young man met Madame Koluchy in Naples when he became involved in a secret criminal society known as the Brotherhood of the Seven Kings. When Head discovered the sinister nature of the society he determined to have no more to do with them. He has since been living as a virtual recluse, amusing himself with scientific experiments. Now their paths have crossed again, and Head realizes this will be a duel to the death. Madame Koluchy is also a scientist, and a doctor. Her miraculous cures having made her a celebrity while her charm and beauty have made her the darling of English society. With the aid of his friend Dufrayer Norman Head is determined to bring this woman to justice. Madame Koluchy uses her medical skills to gain the trust of her victims. They then find themselves the victims of blackmail, robbery, kidnapping or worse crimes.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Classics, Short Stories, Audiobook

373 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1899

About the author

Mrs. L.T. Meade (Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Toulmin Smith), was a prolific children's author of Anglo Irish extraction. Born in 1844, Meade was the eldest daughter of a Protestant clergyman, whose church was in County Cork. Moving from Ireland to London as a young woman, after the death of her mother, she studied in the Reading Room of the British Museum in preparation for her intended career as a writer, before marrying Alfred Toulmin Smith in September 1879.

The author of close to 300 books, Meade wrote in many genres, but is best known for her girls' school stories. She was one of the editors of the girls' magazine, Atalanta from 1887-93, and was active in women's issues. She died in 1914.

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

A series of linked shorts where a Noble Man attempts to foul an Evil Female Criminal Mastermind and gets comprehensively shafted. Like, I think he wins about once, and the body count is startlingly high with some very unexpected deaths. One gets the impression the author was firmly on the side of the Evil Lady. (She also wrote school stories and clearly needed the break.) Good old fashioned fun.

[Dfordoom · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings is a series of linked short stories involving what may well be the world’s first female diabolical criminal mastermind, Madame Koluchy.

Written in 1899, it was one of many collaborations in the mystery genre between L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace. L. T. Meade (Elizabeth Thomasina Meade Smith) was a popular writer of stories for girls while Robert Eustace specialised in thrillers with a medical or legal bent.

The narrator, Norman Head, had as a young man met Madame Koluchy in Naples when he became involved in a secret criminal society known as the Brotherhood of the Seven Kings. Madame Koluchy had been the head of this society. When Head discovered the sinister nature of the society he determined to have no more to do with them. He has since been living as a virtual recluse, amusing himself with scientific experiments.

Now their paths have crossed again, and Head realises this will be a duel to the death. She cannot afford to let him live while his honour will not allow him to permit her to ruin any more lives.

Madame Koluchy is also a scientist, and a doctor. In fact she is the most famous doctor in London, her apparently miraculous cures having made her a celebrity while her charm and beauty have made her the darling of English society.

With the aid of his friend Dufrayer, an eminent solicitor, Norman Head is determined to bring this woman to justice. Madame Koluchy uses her medical skills to gain the trust of her victims. They then find themselves the victims of blackmail, robbery, kidnapping or worse crimes.

Norman Head is brave and intelligent, but he is up against a woman of enormous resourcefulness and cunning.

The stories are all entertaining and cleverly constructed. As you would expect, given Robert Eustace’s special interests, many of the stories involve medical conspiracies. There are fiendish plots, ingenious murder attempts, death by X-ray, and infernal machines.

These are crime thrillers that occasionally veer just a little in the direction of what you might call speampunk techno-thrillers.

Highly recommended.

[Ed Erwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually only read one chapter of this, "THE LUCK OF PITSEY HALL", but it is an interesting discovery. It is similar to Sherlock Holmes, but instead of Professor Moriarty, the evil scientist in this is a woman.

The whole thing is available on Wikisource and there is also a Librivox version. Dated, but entertaining.

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lot like her Sorceress of the Strand series in that it's a series of inter-connected stories where a detective guy is trying to stop a female criminal, but it's a fun formula and especially interesting considering that it was written so long ago. This one also features a female detective in the last few stories who was really cool. I would read an entire series about her as well but I don't think that Meade ever wrote one. Would definitely recommend this as well as Sorceress of the Strand if you're looking to read more classics by female authors or if you're a Sherlock Holmes fan looking for similar works from around the same time period [although these mysteries are generally nowhere near as complicated].

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Sax Rohmer's Dr. Fu Manchu series, you will enjoy these stories. A little lighter but a nice read/listen.

[for-much-deliberation ... · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather good classic mystery or maybe I should say a series of mysteries... The ending is a bit abrupt, but I'll still recommend it.

[空 · Rating 3 out of 5]

One line summary: Norman Head, 18th century fuckboi, attempts to get back at Madame Koluchy, diabolical, ambitious, predatory, and tactical leader of the shadowy criminal organization, The Brotherhood of Seven Kings, after she jilts him.


He doesn’t, though. Almost everything in this book is on Koluchy’s terms, and Koluchy is very clearly winning. Head and Dufrayer are outwitted at every turn, and only Beringer, the female detective, was able to come close to capturing Koluchy. (I did think for a moment — a breathless, excited moment — that perhaps Beringer was the real Mme. Koluchy, or that she was actually in league with Koluchy. Alas.)

I had no sympathy for Head (I’m not sure that we were meant to have sympathy for him, with how this story is written), and instead I felt much more pity for the characters who got caught up in his crusade, particularly the ones who died even when this numbskull got away: Ward, Ford, and, most tragically, Dufrayer.

Someone had to, considering their deaths made only a minimum impact on Head and he forgot about them shortly afterwards.

[Vultural · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meade, L T - The Brotherhood Of The Seven Kings

Crackerjack of a yarn, first published in The Strand in 1898.
Norman Head, affluent man about town, relates youthful mistakes. Falling in love with a beautiful, diabolical female, Madame Koluchy, who also masterminds the sinister organization known as the Brotherhood Of Seven Kings.
Published in monthly installments, this is an inventive series of deadly stratagems. Some thwarted, others chillingly carried out.
Blackmail, kidnappings, assassination, theft, murders.
Madame Koluchy, influential with social elites and prominent individuals, is entrusted by most, her terrible activities perceived by few.
The came before The Sorceress Of The Strand, and while there are similarities between the two malevolent females, and the serial structure, this is the grimmer work.
With both works, Sidney Padget provides numerous illustrations.
Holmes’ fans, rejoice! Those who relish late Victorian, Edwardian cliffhangers, this is easily found.

[Cindy B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well plotted and narrated. Enjoyable read.

[Cognatious Thunk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't always love mystery-thrillers, especially with crime syndicates, but I must say that this one's ending is perfect.

[Julie Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madame Koluchy is beautiful, charismatic, and able to miraculously heal. Too bad that she is a diabolical master villainess. Only two men know the secret and are trying, behind the scenes, to expose her fiendish plots and bring her to justice. Meanwhile, she is plotting to destroy them.

Written in 1899, these are enjoyable, clever stories which take the reader on exciting adventures to try to foil evil. One of my favorite Librivox readers has a good audio version.

[Maria Witte · Rating 4 out of 5]

light, fun, I enjoy the suprises of the unusual stories, thus unpredictable

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as engaging as Sorceress of the Strand, but fun regardless!

[Vikas Datta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A forgotten classic...