Quick Facts
Biography
Pierre Souvestre (1 June 1874 – 26 February 1914) was a French lawyer, journalist, writer and organizer of motor races. He is mostly remembered today for his co-creation with Marcel Allain of the fictional arch-villain and master criminal Fantômas. He was born in Plomelin, a commune in Finistère, Brittany.
In 1909, already a well-known figure in literary circles, Souvestre collaborated with his assistant Allain on their first novel, Le Rour. Investigating Magistrate Germain Fuselier, later to become a recurring character in the Fantômas series, appears in the novel.
Then, in February 1911, Allain and Souvestre embarked upon the Fantômas book series at the request of publisher Arthème Fayard, who wanted to create a new monthly pulp magazine. The success was immediate and lasting.
Souvestre died of a congestion of the lungs. After his death, Allain continued the Fantômas saga alone.
Bibliography of books by Souvestre and Allain
- Le Rour (1908)
The Fantômas books
- 1. Fantômas (1911; transl. 1915; retransl. 1986)
- 2. Juve contre Fantômas (1911; transl. 1916; retransl. 1987)
- 3. Le Mort qui Tue (1911; transl. 1917)
- 4. L'Agent Secret (1911; transl. 1917)
- 5. Un Roi Prisonnier de Fantômas (1911; transl. 1919)
- 6. Le Policier Apache (1911; transl. 1924)
- 7. Le Pendu de Londres (1911; transl. 1920)
- 8. La Fille de Fantômas (1911; transl. 2006) (ISBN 1932983562)
- 9. Le Fiacre de Nuit (1911)
- 10. La Main Coupée (1911; transl. 1924)
- 11. L'Arrestation de Fantômas (1912)
- 13. La Livrée du Crime (1912)
- 14. La Mort de Juve (1912)
- 15. L'Evadée de Saint-Lazare (1912)
- 16. La Disparition de Fandor (1912)
- 17. Le Mariage de Fantômas (1912)
- 18. L'Assassin de Lady Beltham (1912)
- 19. La Guêpe Rouge (1912)
- 20. Les Souliers du Mort (1912)
- 21. Le Train Perdu (1912)
- 22. Les Amours d'un Prince (1912)
- 23. Le Bouquet Tragique (1912)
- 24. Le Jockey Masqué (1913)
- 25. Le Cercueil Vide (1913)
- 26. Le Faiseur de Reines (1913)
- 27. Le Cadavre Géant (1913)
- 28. Le Voleur d'Or (1913)
- 29. La Série Rouge (1913)
- 30. L'Hôtel du Crime (1913)
- 31. La Cravate de Chanvre (1913)
- 32. La Fin de Fantômas (1913)