The Last Baron

An entertaining, well-researched tale of a late-20th-century scandal. -Kirkus In this sleek, two-track narrative, we see the power and promise of one of Europe's mightiest industrial dynasties-and then in stark and sometimes horrifying detail, we learn how quickly that world can unravel. Resourcefully reported, cleverly structured, and commandingly well-written by a keen observer of French society, The Last Baron offers a neat illustration, with certain Gallic twists, of that hoary aphorism: The bigger they come, the harder they fall. -Hampton Sides, New York Times bestselling author of In the Kingdom of Ice The problem with The Last Baron is that it is very difficult to stop reading once you start. Somehow the book merges a taut, noirish crime caper told in 360-degree panorama with several layers of France's political, economic, and cultural history beneath. Sancton belongs to that impressive pantheon of American writers whose work has benefited from an immersion in Paris. -Thomas Beller, author of J.D. Salinger: The Escape Artist Gripping from the first page, Tom Sancton tells a deeply researched and propulsive story of one of France's most notorious crimes-a tale of deception, scandal, greed, and redemption. The Last Baron is the kind of page-turner that will stay with you long after it's over. -Daniel Stone, author of The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of the Globe-Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats Perfectly reported, The Last Baron rivets the reader's attention with its you-are-there narrative of the kidnapping that seized the headlines in 1978. It also delivers keen insights into French politics and society as well as exploring a colorful family history that spanned two centuries and three continents, from the streets of Paris to the sands of Egypt and the jungles of the Congo. -Nicholas Reynolds, author of Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy: Ernest Hemingway's Secret Adventures, 1935-1961