A Book Lover's Devilish Journey

In The Club Dumas (1993) by Arturo Perez-Reverte, rare book "finder" Lucas Corso is hired to authenticate a lost chapter of the Alexandre Dumas classic, The Three Musketeers. This eventually leads him on a journey to find two copies of a rare book called “The Nine Doors to the Kingdom of Shadows.” This book can supposedly be used to contact the devil himself. Corso becomes embroiled in a chase for this unearthly tome, as various allies and enemies try to either aid him or hinder his progress. It's a search that may just bring Corso more than he bargained for in the beginning.

Perez-Reverte’s novel features many in-jokes for bibliophiles and lovers of classic literature. Chapter sub-headings include quotes from famous fictional characters, including Poe’s famous detective, Arsene Lupin. As Corso tracks down the book, many pages features drawings, quotes and clues that aid Corso in his search.  We find out information as Corso does, along the way. Much of the trivia and in jokes revolves around The Three Musketeers, as characters and situations reflect those in the famous adventure story. The novel has elegant settings and interesting characters, including obsessive book dealers, forgers, devil worshippers and a mysterious girl whose origins (and true motives for helping Corso) are unclear.

The most well drawn character is Corso. He is a lover of books, but he's been corrupted by the nature of his work. We get inside his head, and understand how he thinks. He’s been an unscrupulous man, and, as the search goes on, he starts to doubt if he’s taken the right path in life. The plot keeps you intrigued as the search for the book goes on, with trips to Spain and Portugal along the way, colorfully rendered by the author. The novel is a treat for mystery fans that like working out all the angles of a puzzling story. Portions of the novel were turned into the movie The Ninth Gate (1999), starring Johnny Depp, but significant changes were made to the story for that screen adaptation. The Club Dumas is an intriguing book, and fans of literary mysteries will enjoy Perez-Reverte’s thinking man’s thriller. Perez-Reverte is the author of several other historical and literary themed thrillers, including 1990's The Flanders Panel, but The Club Dumas is one of his best.