This unique edition, translated by critically-acclaimed translator Andrew Brown, is one of the earliest examples of the classic murder mystery and it has been an inspiration for a host of thriller and crime writers. As Paris is shaken by a gang of murderous thieves, the aristocratic Mademoiselle de Scudéri pens a poem to poke fun at the cowardly lovers who now fear to go out at night to see their mistresses. But when she receives an unexpected visit from a young man, who gives her a box of jewels with a note thanking her for supporting the robbers' cause, the elderly writer is plunged into a dangerous web of passion, intrigue and murder.First published in 1819 to great acclaim, and displaying all the author's trademark wit and ingenuity, E.T.A. Hoffmann's tale has inspired and delighted writers and readers ever since, and remains a benchmark for all modern crime novels.Translated by Andrew Brown.